Matthews, Alford A

Matthews, Alford A.

a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church, was born in Mercer County, Pa., July 11, 1838; went to Wethersfield, Ill., in 1855, and was there converted and joined the Missionary Baptist Church. In the winter of 1862 - '63 he joined the Methodist Episcopal Church, after advising with his pastor and members of his own Church. Soon after he received license to preach. In the spring of 1864, the health of the pastor of the Buda Circuit failing, the circuit was vacated, and Matthews was appointed his successor. At the close of the year he was admitted on trial into the Illinois Conference, and returned to the Buda charge. From the Conference of 1866 to that of 1868 he was in charge of the Tiskilwa Station. At the Conference of 1868 he was appointed to Chillicothe, and there he labored most acceptably to the people and most successfully for the cause to which he gave his life. He died quite suddenly at this place, Aug. 1, 1869. "From his boyhood days he was a diligent student; from his espousal of the cause of Christ, a devoted Christian; and from the time he received license to preach, a very zealous and successful minister of the Gospel. While at Buda, his first charge, he sought and found the blessing of perfect love, and lived in the enjoyment of the blessing until the day of his death." See Conf: Minutes, 1869, p. 241.