Indiana Baptist History -- 1798-1908
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Indiana Baptist History
1798-1908


Page 150

resigned to enter Rochester Theological Seminary.
While in the seminary he was a supply at both Buffalo
and Newark. At the close of his seminary course he
received a call to become pastor of North Church,
now College Avenue, Indianapolis. He accepted,
and during this pastorate he conceived the idea of a
Baptist paper for Indiana; some of his brethren en-
couraged him in the enterprise, while others were
doubtful of the outcome. At last in 1881 the first
number was issued; for a while he tried to do the work
of both pastor and editor, but in the following year he
resigned the pastorate to give his whole time to the
paper. He continued to pour thought, spirituality and
enthusiasm into this work till his death in 1890. His
powers rapidly developed in both writing and preach-
ing and his social qualities were of a high order, and
so in a very short time he became an acknowledged
leader in the Baptist enterprises of the State; he took
a deep interest in the work of the Indiana Baptist con-
vention, helping to shape its policy and increase its ef-
ficiency, and while secretary introduced many welcome
reforms into the Indiana Baptist Annual. Finally to
supplement the income from the paper he engaged as
supply for various churches as Adams, Second Mount
Pleasant, Clayton, Lewis Creek and Southport, the last
of which he was serving at the time of his death. He
and Miss Myra Lambertson were married in June,
1875, and together they wrought earnestly and joyfully
for the building up of the Master's kingdom. To them
were born a daughter, Maude, in 1878, and a son,
William, in 1883. Dr. Elgin's death caused genuine

Page 151

sorrow to many a friend and many a church; and not a
few churches and associations put upon record their
appreciation of his worth, and a deep sense of their
loss. It seemed a pity that one so capable of leader-
ship in the state, and so ready to begin and cultivate
christian fellowships should have been called away in
his prime--he was but forty-two. He had allowed
neither so-called science nor philosophy to draw him
away from the doctrine of salvation by sovereign
grace; and the fundamental and distinguishing beliefs
of his denomination had no more intelligent and earn-
est advocate in Indiana. We devoutly thank our
Heavenly Father that He had loaned us for a while so
able a minister, and one so full of sympathy for all
that is good.

The Rev. W. N. Wyeth, D. D., was born in Massa-
chusetts in 1833; was pastor for a while in Portsmouth,
Ohio, and came to Indiana as a missionary of the
American Baptist Home Mission society, his location
being Wabash; he came in 1870. It was not long till
he was known to "wield the pen of a ready writer" and
the Journal and Messenger, recognizing the fact, en-
gaged him as the Indiana representative of that paper,
with headquarters at Indianapolis. He continued in
that work to the full satisfaction of his employers till
the board of Franklin College asked him to accept the
office of corresponding secretary of that institution.
He undertook the work and continued it till 1882 when,
feeling more strongly than ever the inclination to use
his pen, he went to Philadelphia, Pa., and began the
most important work of his life--the publication of
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