Michigan historical collections. [Vol. 17]

REMINISCENCES OF PIONEER MINISTERS.

229

make the round trip and spend one night with the preacher. On
their return home the next evening, as they neared their home they
heard a melodious voice within, as though in earnest delivery of some
important message for somebody's ears and on entering the dwelling,
they found it filled to overflowing with their neighbors, eagerly listening
to John A. Baughman, who was delivering his first sermon in that
church.
They were greatly surprised at this new turn things had taken, but
they realized the fulfillment of a prophecy; "With what measure ye
mete, it shall be measured to you again." They had measured bountifully of their substance, to supply the temporal wants of one who had
been supplying them with the bread of life, and now another had
been sent them to break to them more bountifully and feed them
more plentifully with this same bread of life. Two weeks later Mr.
Minier came and preached, and thus an appointment for preaching
every alternate week, on a week day evening, became a fixture,
besides the Sabbath service rendered by Mr. Smith and others I shall
mention later on.
Detroit circuit at that time embraced all that was known of Michigan, except a strip along the St. Clair river, which was for a time
supplied with preaching by preachers from Canada. Of these I know
nothing personally, and have heard but little, hence shall not try to
give you any information concerning them not having possession of
any to give. Rev. Zerah Coston was presiding elder of the Detroit
district at that time, and supplied the pulpit of the Methodist church
in the city when not engaged in holding quarterly meetings, a duty
which did not require much of his time in those pioneer days.
Next came John Janes and Win. Armstrong; Mr Janes remaining
the second year, having for his colleague Win. Runnels, who died in
Cleveland last winter at the ripe age of 85 years. Mr. Janes died quite
young, as did Armstrong and Minier. Mr. Baughman was quite along
in years when he passed across the dark river.
Next came Win. I. Snow, who, on one occasion, as he was riding on
horseback alongside my grandfather, found himself lying on his back
in a deep mud-hole, having been constrained to turn a somersault
over his horses head, caused by his horse catching one of his fore feet
with the toe calk of one of his hind shoes. His experience was nearly
as unpleasant as the experience of Mr. Searle, and would have been
far more so if his horse had fallen on him. Grandfather had a hearty
laugh at the preacher's expense, meantime consoling him by telling
of the more terrible fate of Mr Searle. Mr. Snow being a single man