Epworth United Methodist Church | 5253 N. Kenmore Ave Chicago, IL 60640 | 773-561-6422

History -- Charles Claude Travis

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Historical Sketch

July 4th, 1873 in the American Consular Residence at Para, Brazil, Charles Claud Travis came into the world, already dedicated to the Christian ministry.

His father and mother were not Christians, but in the loneliness of a strange country, among people of a strange tongue, and the anxiety of nursing her husband through yellow fever, the young mother had given her little son to God and his service.

When the baby was a few months old an Indian slave nurse had him baptized in the Cathedral of our Lady of Nazareth, at Para, Brazil. Returning to Crawfordsville, the little lad was sent to the Presbyterian Sunday School. At the age of 12, he went with a friend to a mid-week Prayer Meeting at the Methodist Church, and impressed by the service, he went forward to unite with the Church. Arriving home, he told his parents that he "had left the land of bondage and was on his way to the promised land." His wise mother joined the Church with him , and they were received into full membership in the County Court House, as the church was being remodeled at the time.

The urge toward the ministry began soon after that, as at that age of 13, he drew a picture in his Diary, which he labeled "me as a minister." This desire crystallized during his student days at Wabash College. His ability as a leader was recognized and he was asked to act Secretary of Crawfordsville Y. M. C. A. during the summer of 1894. After graduation in June, 1895 he was granted a Local Preacher's license. His first sermon was preached from John 3:16, at the little village of New Ross and was repeated in the afternoon at Potato Creek Church.

His father was bitterly disappointed at this choice of a life work, and opposed him in every way, but the young preacher had the joy of seeing not only his father, but his grandfather and grandmother enter into happy and useful Christian experience.

After two years of preaching he entered Garrett Biblical Institute, but after one year there he was called back into service and was always kept too busy to complete his course.

On June 14, 1916, Wabash College, Crawfordsville, conferred upon him the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Divinity. The Presbyterian College confers only one such degree a year, and up to that time he was the only Methodist to whom they had given this honor.

An interesting and unique feature of Dr. Travis service has been the Vacation Pastorates. Having too much energy to care for and idle vacation, the family adopted a plan of finding a place where there was no Pastor and giving their service for the vacation month. They were richly rewarded in most delightful experiences between the years 1919 and 1927.

Epworth League Institutes have provided many interesting chapters in the life story. Many of the Institute leaders today, were the boys and girls when he was Dean at Lake Geneva.

His ministry has been characterized by his sincere love for people, his continuing eagerness for study, his dramatic and forceful preaching, and his simple and sincere faith. This quotation from an old Fort Wayne bulletin expresses the heart of his ministry.

"My program is simple - to save you who are lost and to perfect those who are Saints."

A few figures of totals for the years are interesting and revealing.

Sermons and Addresses delivered 7,912
Funerals conducted 1,023
Marriages 1,625
Received into Church membership 4,100
Calls made 32,800
Calls made at the Parsonage 40,800


1894 Crawfordsville; Secretary Y. M. C. A.
 
NORTHWEST INDIANA CONFERENCE
1895 - 1896 Frankfort, Assistant Pastor
1896 - 1897 Summit Grove Circuit: Salem, Hillsdale, Spring Hill, Center, and Centenary Churches
1897 - 1898 Garrett Biblical Institute and Waveland Church
1898 - 1900 Waveland Church
1900 - 1902 St. Paul's Church, Indianapolis
1902 - 1906 Grace Church, South Bend
 
NORTH INDIANA CONFERENCE
1906 - 1909 First Church, Mishawaka
1906 - 1917 Wayne Street Church, Ft. Wayne
 
ROCK RIVERE CONFERENCE
1917 - 1925 First Church, Englewood, Chicago
1925 - 1932 Epworth Church, Chicago
1932 - 1938 Gary Memorial Church, Wheaton
1938 - 1941 Hemenway Church, Evanston
 
VACATION PASTORATES
1919 Mesa, Colorado
1920 Crossville, Alabama
1922 Apgars, Glacier Park, Montana
1923 Cortez, Colorado
1927 Makey, Idaho
 
EPWORTH LEAGUE INSTITUTES
1920 McKendree college, Lebanon, Illinois
1921, 1923, 1924, 1940 Lake Geneva, Wisconsin
1924 New Lenox, Illinois
1927 Wood River Idaho
1932 Sulpher Springs, Kentucky


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