Bible Encyclopedias
Ames, Edward Raymond, D.D., LL.D.

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

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a bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church, was born near Amesville, Adams Co., O., May 20,1806. He experienced religion in 1827, while a student in the State university at Athens, O. The following year he left college before graduating, and became the first principal of the Lebanon Seminary, which has since become McKendree College, Lebanon, Ill. In 1830 he entered the Illinois Conference, and was appointed junior preacher on School Creek Circuit. On the division of the Illinois Conference in 1832 he became a member of the Indiana Conference, and was appointed junior preacher on the New Albany and Jeffersonville Circuit. The remainder of his active pastoral life was spent in the Indiana Conference, except one year in St. Louis. After filling several important appointments and acting as presiding elder, he was, in 1840, elected missionary secretary, which office he held four years, travelling over the West extensively, visiting the Indian missions along the northern lakes and western frontier, and establishing schools among the tribes in Arkansas. Between 1844 and 1852 Mr. Ames was presiding elder in Indiana. He then was elected to the office of bishop, and in the performance of the active duties of that office spent the remainder of his life. He died in the city of Baltimore, April 25,1879. Bishop Ames possessed a powerful physical frame and commanding presence. In his earlier ministry he had a strong voice, and spoke with great oratorical power and pathos. Great revivals everywhere attended his preaching. His strong characteristics were quickness, clearness, and comprehensiveness of perception, an unbending will, and an intuitive perception of human character. In generalship he had few equals and no superiors in the Church he served. See Minutes of Annual Conferences, 1879, p. 84; Simpson, Cyclop. of Methodism, s.v.