"Most of the preachers from the eastern part of the state had gone to the Conference, in New Albany, in 1837, by the way of the Ohio River. In returning from the Conference, there were some forty or fifty preachers on board the mail-boat, General Pike, bound from Louisville to Cincinnati, among whom was Bishop Soule. The "Fall races" had by that time just closed at Louisville, and a large number of sporting gentlemen, vulgarly called gamblers, were on the boat, bound for Cincinnati and other points along the river. The boat left the wharf at Louisville a little before noon. As soon as dinner was over, the gamblers took possession of the gentlemen's cabin, which was soon lined with card-tables, plentifully supplied with cards and liquor; and a scene of profanity and drunkenness began, that was remarkable for a steam-boat, even in that day. It seemed as though the lower regions had emptied some of their worst specimens into that company. Bacchanalian songs and coarse jests, interspersed with a great deal of profanity, filled the entire room. The bishop became excited; he arose, and walked from one end of the cabin to the other, closely surveying the scene. It was one of the cases in which open reproof would have caused strife, and perhaps led to serious results. Speaking in a loud voice, that all the preachers might hear him, the bishop said,

"'Brethren, can not we sing too?' The preachers gathered together in a group, and commenced singing lustily: "Jesus, the name high over all, In hell, or earth, or sky; Angels and men before it fall, And devils fear and fly."

"The gamblers paused, listened, and looked astonished. One by one, they began to leave the card-tables, and retire to their state-rooms, or get out on the deck of the boat; and by the time the preachers had sung two or three hymns, there was not a pack of cards to be seen anywhere about; the card-tables were shoved back, and cards and brandy-bottles and gamblers had all disappeared; and, during the afternoon and evening, the company, though large, was as quiet and agreeable as any one could have desired.

"George Randle located in 1831. He was an Englishman by birth. Came to this country as a preacher. In 1829, he had traveled Madison Circuit,, and, in 1830, Vevay Circuit. Having married a Miss Eubank [Rhoda Ewbank, 1806-1859, 1.10], contrary to the wishes of her friends, and the alienation increasing, rather, than being cured, after the marriage, her father's friends, thinking that the Conference dealt too leniently with Mr. Randle, withdrew from the Church with the "Radical Secession," as it was called, and took two societies in the north part of Dearborn County, including two stone churches, the titles to which had not been properly vested in the Church [apparently including the Ewbank church]. The Conference located Mr. Randle in 1831, and in the unfortunate trouble neither of the parties seemed to be satisfied with the action of the Church-doubtless because they were impelled in their actions by passion,that was not shared by those who were called to pass judgment in their case. Mr. Randle settled in the southern part of Dearborn County, accumulated a fine property, and raised a large and respectable family. He left the Church shortly after his location, and never reunited with it, although his family belonged to the Church, and he attended its ministry." pp 119-121

from the reminiscences of Rev. Joseph Tarkington, one of the fathers of Indiana Methodism:

"At the close of the Conference year, we started to Conference at Charlestown, stopping on our way at a camp-meeting on Paoli Circuit. Here we met Richard Hargrave, who was also on his way to his first conference. At this meeting we saw, for the first time, that celebrated preacher, Rev. William Cravens, noted for his peculiarities. The old man, discovering that George Randle, one of the young preachers, was dressed in what was considered a fashionable coat, said to Armstrong, in the hearing of all,'Where did you get this young fogmaroony?' Armstrong replied,'In the Wabash country.''Well,' said Cravens,' I'm afraid you'll never Methodize him.' Armstrong made no reply, but Randle, greatly incensed, made some snappish rejoinder, and utterly refused to preach at this camp-meeting, on account of this occurrence. Many were the apologies and excuses given for this speech of Father Cravens, but it was not arranged satisfactorily until the good old man got a new coat for Randle, cut in the most approved Methodistic style. These men, Cravens and Randle, were both singular men, but there was a vein of goodness and frankness about the former that made him friends wherever he traveled." Pp 258