MORGAN'S HISTORY OF THE NEW JERSEY CONFERENCE Page 240

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

JAMES MATTHEW TOWNSEND, D. D.

filed till the close of the war in 1865. On returning home he attended Oberlin College for two years, during which time his father died, leaving to him the care of the family. He secured, through the recommendation of friends, a commission from the American Missionary Board, and subsequently an appointment as principal of the colored schools of Evansville, Indiana, which position he held for four years. During this time he continued his studies, and in 1871 he was ordained Deacon by Bishop A. W. Wayman. In December of this year he was married to Cornelia A., daughter of Josiah and Nancy Settle. June, 1872, he was appointed to the pastoral charge of Richmond, Indiana; after serving two years was ordained Elder by Bishop Wayman. In 1874 he was appointed to Terre Haute, Indiana. In 1876 he was elected to the general conference, and was elected assistant secretary of the same. In August of the same year, was appointed to Bethel Station, Indianapolis; served two years. While here he was elected by the General Missionary Board, which met in Baltimore, Maryland, as corresponding secretary of the Parent Home and Foreign Missionary Society. He was elected by acclamation of the general conference of 1880 to the same office, which position he now holds.

He was also elected as one of the Commissioners on "Organic Union," and a delegate to the Ecumenical Conference, held in London, England. In June of 1883 he received the degree of Doctor of Divinity from Wilberforce University. His name is prominently mentioned in all the advanced movements of his church, educationally and otherwise. And not infrequently has he been called upon to participate in the public affairs of his race.

Dr. Townsend is a man of indomitable will, and energy that knows no such word as fail. He has the capacity to organize, and he can execute that which he organizes. This is shown in his plan of securing an iron church for Hayti. He went to the Episcopal Church Mission House; they knew nothing of it; then he went to the Methodist; they could not inform him where to get one. An ordinary man would have given up, and said, "If these large Mission Boards can give no information, 1 need seek no further." But he wrote to England and there received the information needed, and eventually contracted for the church,

Rev. B. F. Lee.

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