206 Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications. [VOL. 3
But still its mission is to the regions
beyond; its position in the
advancing columns is on the front line.
Its business is to find
and drive the enemy, leaving to the
slower-moving forces the
work of fortifying and garrisoning the
conquered provinces.
Its muster roll begins with those of
Caesar's household and ends
not until it includes the faithful
Onesimus. Quenchless zeal for
souls is and must forever be its
characteristic; a simple and full
salvation its message; and its reward
not human applause, but
the well-done of its Lord.
METHODISM IN GALLIPOLIS.
The Rev. Henry Baker preached the first
Methodist sermon
in Gallipolis sometime during the year
1817, at the residence of
Ahaz S. Morehouse, a log house located
at the mouth of Mill
creek. The Methodist itinerant was not
then received with as
cordial a welcome as others have been
since. "The rowdies
were so troublesome," the minister
stated, "that Mr. More-
house could not have services there any
longer, and unless some-
one else would open a house he would not
come again." Calvin
Shepard, who may justly be entitled the
"father of Gallipolis
Methodism," was present, though not
then a member, and
cheerfully offered his house as a place
of worship, and from that
time they continued to hold regular
services. Shortly afterward,
Brother Shepard, while on a visit to
some friends near Cincin-
nati, sought and found the Savior. A
class was then formed
consisting of the following persons:
Calvin Shepard, Mahala
Shepard, his wife, John Knapp and wife,
Christopher Randall
and wife, Stephen Sisson, Mary Varian
and her two daughters,
Abigail and Matilda. The society was
soon strengthened by the
addition of James Hanson, Sarah
Dranillard and David Smithers,
and many others. In 1820, under the
labors of John P. and
William Kent, there was a very
successful revival in which
about thirty more were added to the
society. About this time,
says the Rev. T. J. N. Simmons, in
Calvin Shepard's obituary,
written October 10th, 1856, "They
met with much opposition,