Edward Raymond Ames facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Edward Raymond Ames
|
|
|---|---|
Edward Raymond Ames from Who-When-What Book, 1900
|
|
| Born | May 20, 1806 |
| Died | May 15, 1879 (aged 72) |
| Occupation | American chaplain |
Edward Raymond Ames (May 20, 1806 – May 15, 1879) was an important American church leader. He became a Bishop in the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1852. A bishop is a high-ranking leader in some Christian churches.
Contents
Early Life and Learning
Edward Raymond Ames was born in Amesville, Ohio. This town is in Athens County, Ohio. Interestingly, he was one of three Methodist Episcopal Bishops born in Athens County.
When he was 20, Ames began studying at Ohio University in Athens. During his time there, in August 1827, he joined the Methodist Episcopal Church.
In 1828, he started a high school in Lebanon, Illinois. This school later grew into McKendree University. He taught at the school until 1830. Then, he became a pastor in the Illinois Annual Conference. An "Annual Conference" is a regional meeting for Methodist ministers.
A famous traveling preacher named Peter Cartwright gave Ames his license to preach. Ames became a deacon in 1832 and an elder in 1834. These are steps in becoming a full minister.
In 1832, the Indiana Conference was formed. Ames joined this group. He spent most of his time as a pastor in Indiana. He also spent two years working in St. Louis.
Ames was chosen to represent his church at the General Conference in Baltimore in 1840. A General Conference is a big meeting where church leaders make important decisions. At this meeting, he was chosen to be the Corresponding Secretary for the church's Missionary Society. This meant he helped lead missionary work in the South and West.
When the church split over the issue of slavery, Ames stayed with the Methodist Episcopal Church (the "Church North"). In 1844, he earned a Master of Arts degree from the State University of Indiana. He was also chosen as a delegate for the General Conferences in 1844 and 1852.
Helping Native American Communities
Edward Ames traveled a lot. He visited many church missions that worked with Native American communities. These missions were located near the northern lakes and on the western frontier. He helped set up schools for different tribes west of Arkansas.
In 1848, he served as a chaplain for a meeting of the Choctaw people. He was the first chaplain ever chosen by a Native American assembly.
Also in 1848, Ames was asked to be the president of Indiana Asbury University. However, he chose not to take the job. He preferred to continue his active work as a minister.
A Leader in the Church
In 1852, the General Conference elected Ames to be a Bishop. As a bishop, he traveled widely across all the U.S. States and Territories. His first trip to the Pacific coast was between 1852 and 1853.
Ames strongly supported the Union during the American Civil War. He was offered important jobs, but he turned them down. He wanted to focus on his church duties.
For example, during the war, the U.S. government took control of some church properties in the Southern United States. President Abraham Lincoln and Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton put Bishop Ames in charge of managing these properties.
Later Years and Legacy
Bishop Ames' health was not good for several years. Still, he kept working until just a few weeks before he passed away. He died in Baltimore, Maryland. He is buried in Greenmount Cemetery in that city.
