While we know our northern friends may not feel it, in the South, Spring is
here. So we thought we'd share a few of our gardening sites appropriate
for this time of the year. Along with gardening, there's grilling, and getting
ready to diet so that you can fit back into that bathing suit this summer!
History of the Presbytery of Kiamichi and
the Synod Of Canadian
"My Church is the place,
where the Word of God is preached, the power
of God is felt, the Spirit of God is
manifested and the unity of God is
perceived."
"There, I am to meet my
Savior, to meditate on his redemption, to
listen to his commands, to bow in reverence
before him, to pray for his guidance, to
sing his praise, to ask for his help, and to
sit quietly in his house."
"It is the home of my soul,
the altar of my devotion, the hearth of my
faith, the center of my affections and the
foretaste of heaven."
"I have united with it in
solemn covenant, pledging myself to attend
its services, to pray for its members, to
give to its support, to obey its laws, to
protect its name, to reverence its building,
to honor its officers and to maintain its
permanence."
"It claims the principal
place in my activities, and its unity, peace
and progress, concern my life in this world
and that which is to come."-F. Hyatt Smith.
"Neglect not the gift
which was given thee, with the laying on of
the hands of the Presbytery."-Paul.
The ministers and group of
Churches, that first formed the Presbytery
of Kiamichi, belonged originally to the
Presbytery of Choctaw; which included the
territory allotted in 1832 to the Choctaw
Nation, comprising the southeast one-fourth
of Indian Territory, after the establishment
of Oklahoma Territory in 1890.
Constituted By Synod
The Synod of Indian Territory, at the
meeting held at South McAlester, Oct. 22-25,
1896, in response to an overture for
division from the Presbytery of Choctaw,
established the new Presbytery by the
adoption of the following resolutions:
1st. That the Choctaw Presbytery be
divided into two Presbyteries, according to
the following geographical boundaries:
First, beginning at Durant on the M. K. & T.
Railroad, east on the 34th parallel to the
Arkansas line, thence South to the Texas
line, thence west with the Texas line (Red
river) to the M. K. & T. Railroad, thence
north with the M. K. & T. Railroad to
Durant, the starting point; this Presbytery
to be known as the Presbytery of Tuskaloosa,
and to embrace the following Churches now
within its bounds: St. Paul, Oak Hill,
Bethany, Forest, Beaver Dam, Hebron, Sandy
Branch, New Hope, Oak Grove and Mt.
Gilead-10; and to embrace the following
ministers, now members of the Presbytery of
Choctaw: Rev. E. G. Haymaker, (white) Rev.
E. B. Evans, (white) Rev. Wiley Homer, Rev.
J. H. Sleeper, and Rev. Samuel Gladman-5.
2nd. That the Presbytery of
Tuskaloosa meet at Beaver Dam (Grant) on the
Saturday before the third Sabbath in
November, 1896, at 11 o'clock a. m. and be
opened with a sermon by Rev. E. G. Haymaker,
or in his absence, by the oldest minister
present, who shall preside until a new
Moderator is elected.
Organized At Grant
The first meeting of this new Presbytery was
held at Grant, in the Beaver Dam Church of
which Rev. Wiley Homer was pastor, Nov.
14-16, 1896, seven months after the death of
Parson Stewart, who had organized and
developed all these Churches. The meeting
was opened with a sermon by Rev. Edward G.
Haymaker, superintendent of Oak Hill
Academy, Clear Creek; and he was chosen to
serve as the first stated clerk. The first
annual report, April 1, 1897, showed an
enrollment of 5 ministers, 11 Churches and
292 communicant members. The name of the
Choctaw Church at Wheelock, Garvin, P. O.
was included in this report, and Richard D.
Colbert was enrolled as a licentiate and
appointed stated supply of New Hope and
Sandy Branch Churches.
The name given this new Presbytery, which
was the name of a county and county seat
town in Alabama, was not entirely
satisfactory to those, who were included in
it; and in making their first report to
synod in the fall of 1897, they requested
the name be changed to Mountain Fork, the
name of a branch of Little river, that flows
from the east end of Kiamichi mountain.
While this matter was under discussion at
synod the name of the principal river
flowing through the bounds of the
Presbytery, "Kiamichi," (Ki a mish ee)
signifying "Where you going," was suggested
by Rev. Wiley Homer; and it was approved
both by the Synod and Presbytery.
The roll of the Presbytery, at the time of
its first report in the spring of 1897,
included two Choctaw Churches, namely, Oak
Grove at Grant, and Wheelock, having 5 and
70 members respectively. During this year
Oak Grove was disbanded and dropped; and
Wheelock, becoming vacant, was transferred
to the Presbytery of Choctaw; Rev. Evan B.
Evans, its last pastor, having gone to
Mulhall, in the Presbytery of Oklahoma.
Bethany, a colored Church previously
reported as having 9 members was also
dropped. These changes reduced the
Presbytery to one consisting entirely of
colored Churches and of colored ministers,
with the single exception of Rev. E. G.
Haymaker, superintendent of Oak Hill
Academy, who was engaged in the educational
work among them.
The annual report for 1898, the first one
under the new name, "Kiamichi" that included
only colored Churches, shows that the
Presbytery then consisted of 4 ministers, E.
G. Haymaker, Wiley Homer, John H. Sleeper
and Samuel Gladman; 2 licentiates, William
Butler and R. D. Colbert; and 8 Churches,
Oak Hill, 40; Mount Gilead, 25; Saint Paul,
14; Beaver Dam, 34; Hebron, 13; New Hope,
25; Sandy Branch, 16; and Forest, 20; having
187 members and 248 Sunday school members.
Boundary Enlarged
In May 1907, when the General Assembly at
Columbus, Ohio, united and rearranged the
synods and Presbyteries of the Presbyterian
and Cumberland Churches, after the union of
their Assemblies at Des Moines the previous
year, the boundary of the Presbytery of
Kiamichi was defined as follows:
The Presbytery of Kiamichi shall consist of
all ministers and Churches of the Negro race
in that part of the synod of Oklahoma, lying
south of the south Canadian river, and south
of the Arkansas river, below the point of
confluence of these two rivers.-Min. G. A.,
1907, 214.
The north half of Oklahoma was included in
the Presbytery of Rendall, then established
and two men Rev. Burr Williams and Rev.
David J. Wallace, who had been members of
Kiamichi, since 1899 were transferred to it.
In 1910 the colored Presbyterian ministers
and Churches in east Texas were added to the
Presbytery of Kiamichi. These included Rev.
J. A. Loving, M. D., and the Mount Zion
Church, at Jacksonville, Texas; and Rev. J.
M. McKellar and the Mount Olivet Church at
Rusk, Texas.
Annual Report In 1913
In 1913, the Presbytery included 14
ministers and 16 Churches as follows:
Minister
Address
Church
Elders
Members
S.S. Members
Missionary
Offerings
Self Support
Wiley Homer, H.
R.
Grant, Okla.
Robert E.
Flickinger, H. R.
Rockwell City, Iowa
Samuel Gladman2,
Ev.
Eufaula, Okla.
Thomas K.
Bridges
Lukfata, Okla.
Mt. Gilead
2
26
25
$ 13
$ 25
William Butler
Eagletown, Okla.
St. Paul
4
27
38
8
98
Millerton, Okla.
Forest
3
13
17
3
25
Lukfata, Okla.
Pleasant Valley
2
27
37
8
15
Richard D.
Colbert
Grant, Okla.
Hebron
2
19
15
8
12
William J.
Starks
Garvin, Okla.
Garvin
3
30
57
11
190
William H.
Carroll
Valliant, Okla.
Oak Hill
3
69
85
55
78
Noah S. Alverson
Griffin, Okla.
Ebenezer
1
12
13
4
Plant S. Meadows
Shawneetown, Okla.
Mt. Pleasant
2
8
10
3
Millerton, Okla.
Bethany
3
23
30
10
10
Samuel J. Onque
Grant, Okla.
Beaver Dam
4
41
55
10
53
Julius W.
Mallard
Frogville, Okla.
New Hope
8
26
59
11
24
Frogville, Okla.
Sandy Branch
2
29
87
6
30
Pleasant Hill, v
4
J. A. Loving
Jacksonville, Texas
Mt. Zion
3
28
45
14
J. M.
KcKeller-14
Rusk, Texas
Mt. Olivet-16
1
18
60
6
Totals
38
400
583
$170
$560
These Churches now represent
38 elders; 400 members, and 583 Sunday
school members. They contributed $180.00 to
our Missionary Boards and $560.00, towards
self-support.
At the next meeting of the synod in the fall
of 1913, the two ministers and Churches in
Texas were transferred to the Presbytery of
White River, Arkansas.
Other ministers and Churches, that have been
enrolled as members or a part of this
Presbytery, and their names have not yet
been mentioned, were as follows:
Rev. Thomas C. Ogburn, who in 1890 and 1891
served Beaver Dam, New Hope and Hebron.
Rev. William G. Ogburn, who
in 1890, served Saint Paul and Mount Gilead.
Rev. Burr Williams, who from 1899 to 1902
served Conwell chapel at Springvale, and
from 1902 to 1903, served Mount Zion at
Monger, O. T.
Rev. David J. Wallace, Langston, in 1899,
and in 1906 at Okmulgee, Ok. Ter.
Rev. Hugh L. Harry, New Hope at Frogville in
1904 and 1905.
Succession Of Stated Clerks
Edward G. Haymaker, Clear Creek, Nov. 14,
1896-1903.
John H. Sleeper, Frogville, 1903-1904.
Thompson K. Bridges, Lukfata, 1904-1906.
Samuel Gladman, Millerton 1906-1910.
William J. Starks, Garvin, 1910-1914.
Exhibit Of Growth, 1868 To 1913
The following exhibit shows the comparative
growth of the work among the colored people
of the Choctaw nation in Indian Territory,
the summaries commencing with the results of
the work as left by Parson Charles W.
Stewart, when he was honorably retired from
further active service among the Churches,
on account of the infirmities of age, in
1890, from Beaver Dam, New Hope, Hebron, St.
Paul, and Mount Gilead, and in 1893, from
Oak Hill and Forest. The report for 1898 is
the first one of the new Presbytery of
Kiamichi to include only colored Churches.
Church
Address
Stewart began
services
Date of
organization
1890
1893
1898
1913
Beaver Dam
Grant
1874
1881
15
34
41
Hebron
Messer
1868
1872
12
13
19
New Hope
Frogville
1869
1872
38
25
26
St. Paul
Eagletown
1877
1878
18
14
27
Mt. Gilead
Lukfata
1883
1885
25
25
26
Oak Hill
Valliant
1868
1869
30
40
69
Forest
Millerton
1885
1887
7
20
13
Sandy Branch
Sawyer
1895
16
29
Ebenezer
Griffin
1903
12
Bethany
Millerton
1904
23
Garvin
Garvin
1905
30
Pleasant Valley
Lukfata
1906
27
Mount Pleasant
Shawneetown
1906
8
Pleasant Hill
4
Total in
Oklahoma
108(145)
37
187
354
Mount Zion
Jacksonville,
Texas
28
Mount Olivet
Rusk, Texas
18
Total in
Presbytery
400
Dearth Of
Ministers
This exhibit shows that the membership of
the 7 Churches, when relinquished by Parson
Stewart in 1890 and 1893, numbered 145, and
in 1898, when the Presbytery under the name
"Kiamichi" made its first report, including
only colored Churches, the number was 187;
suggesting a gain of 42 members by his
successors in 8 years. If, however, the 16
members at Sandy Branch be taken from the
1898 column, it shows the 7 Churches served
by Stewart, gained only 26 members during
all those eight years.
This lack of growth, during this important
period, was in great measure due to the fact
most of the Churches were left vacant,
during a considerable part of that period.
Thirty years had passed since the people had
been accorded their freedom, but so great
had been the lack of educational facilities,
a sufficient number of acceptable men that
could read and expound the scriptures
profitably to others, could not be found.
Other communities throughout the south were
experiencing the same need, and had no young
men to spare for these needy fields.
Favorite Sons Become
Ministers
It devolved upon each community to solve
this problem, relating to the supply of
ministers, by encouraging their own
brightest and best boys to train for the
ministry. That was the way this problem had
to be solved by the Choctaw Freedmen in the
south part of Indian Territory.
While the native young men were under
training, and the Churches were vacant, the
services had to be maintained by the elders
and most capable women; and they deserve
great credit for their faithfulness and
efficiency in maintaining them from year to
year.
The Church, that during this period made the
greatest gain-13 members-was Beaver Dam, the
one that was first to furnish from its own
membership, an acceptable and capable
minister for its own pulpit, by commending
Wiley Homer for licensure in 1894, when he
was appointed the stated supply for that
Church and Hebron.
In 1897 the same Church presented Richard D.
Colbert, another of its sons for licensure
that he might take charge of the Church at
Frogville and Sandy Branch.
Eagletown presented William Butler, as their
favorite son, for licensure; and beginning
then, he is still serving that Church and
Forest.
In 1905, Ebenezer Church at Griffin
presented Noah S. Alverson for licensure,
and beginning then, he is still faithfully
serving that field.
In 1905, Mount Gilead Church at Lukfata
presented for licensure John Richards, a
youth of considerable promise, who died at
25, in June 1907, while pursuing his studies
under the superintendent of Oak Hill
Academy.
Under the ministry of these native youth,
aided by several others who have joined
them, the membership of the Presbytery was
increased from 187 to 350; or, nearly
doubled, during the period from 1898 to
1913, and five new Churches have been
organized.
Parson Stewart, serving all
his seven Churches life-long periods, and
these favorite sons, following loyally and
faithfully in his footsteps, have greatly
honored the permanent pastorate, though none
of them have ever been installed. In this
matter of long pastorates, these ministers
and people have made a record, worthy of the
emulation of the Church at large; especially
those congregations that seem to take pride
in having "itching ears" and the consequent
doom of standing vacant and idle half the
time, and those perambulating ministers, who
remind one of the proverb of the "rolling
stone that gathers no moss."
New Era Requires That Preachers Be
Teachers
On the other hand it is proper to note,
that, commencing with Parson Stewart all of
these worthy men were licensed and ordained
to the full work of the gospel ministry,
after taking a very "short course" of
educational training. This was due to the
fact they were needed to meet an emergency,
an unexpected and unusual condition that
called for immediate action. The
extraordinary call, these men were
encouraged to accept, came to them during
the Territorial days, when there was no
adequate provision for public education.
They were then abreast of their times, and
the very best their several communities
could furnish.
Now the times are different. The change came
with the allotment of lands in 1904 and
1905, followed by statehood in 1907 and the
establishment of a public school system
immediately afterwards. Public schools are
now found in every community, where there
are a sufficient number of pupils to justify
the employment of a teacher. The demand for
good teachers is now greater than the
supply, and with passing years the call will
be for better ones. There are many reasons
now, why every candidate for licensure
should first prove himself to be an
acceptable and successful teacher, as well
as a good speaker. Teaching is now, and for
many years will continue to be, the
secondary employment of the colored minister
in the rural districts. Recognizing that
fact, every future candidate for the
ministry should be animated with the noble
ambition, to stand at the front in the
teacher's profession, in order that there
may be a constant demand for his services as
a teacher, in the community he serves as a
preacher.
More ministers are needed, and promising
young men, in every community, should be
encouraged to train for that sacred office.
The Church is standing ready to co-operate
with them, in their effort to secure a good
and thorough education, as a fitting
preparation for their future work. "Go and
teach" is a divine call to a noble work, but
"Go and preach," is recognized as a divine
call to a still nobler and greater work, as
the Bible and its mission are greater than
that of any other book. A greater work
suggests the need of greater preparation.
The extraordinary incidents of the past were
not intended to be regarded as precedents or
as a rule for the future. The time is now at
hand when all, who present themselves to the
Presbytery, before they have graduated from
the Grammar department, or 8th grade of a
well accredited school, should be enrolled
and held merely as "candidates for the
ministry," until they have completed their
studies to that extent, before "licensure to
preach" is accorded to them.
Ordination should ordinarily
be deferred, until the licentiate has
completed the theological course prescribed
for all in the standards of the Church.
Young men are frequently impatient to enter
upon their ministerial life work. They do
not always know, that expert or thorough
training in youth, doubles their value in
the activities of life; and that this is
especially true of the teacher and preacher.
This site
includes some historical materials that may imply negative stereotypes
reflecting the culture or language of a particular period or place. These
items are presented as part of the historical record and should not be
interpreted to mean that the WebMasters in any way endorse the stereotypes
implied .
Choctaw Freedmen and Oak Hill Industrial
Academy, 1914, Robert Elliott Flickinger
