USA > Illinois > Brethren in northern Illinois and Wisconsin > Part 6
USA > Wisconsin > Brethren in northern Illinois and Wisconsin > Part 6
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Rock Creek (1866)
In 1854 David Rittenhouse led a party of immigrants from Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, to Carroll County, Illinois. In this party was William Horning, who had married Priscilla, daughter of David, who settled within the bounds of the Ar- nold's Grove congregation. The Hornings, however, settled at Fulton where Horning went into the door and sash business. The second year spelled financial disaster for his door and sash business. Discouraged with the venture, Horning visited his father-in-law early in the winter, making his way over the snow- covered ground.
Naturally Rittenhouse was touched by the sad plight of his daughter and two children, and sent his hired man, Joseph Mil- ler, with sled and team to bring them to his home in the Hickory Grove neighborhood. (This Joseph Miller later had a son, John W., who was called to the ministry at Rock Creek in 1900.)
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While on this visit Horning learned of land on the Rock Creek bottom. On investigation he discovered that there was consid- erable timber on this tract so he purchased five hundred acres, his building instinct suggesting that there was money in both the land and the timber. On this land was a log house which be- came the new home for the Hornings in 1855. Here a son, Lee, who now lives on a part of this tract, was born on January 20, 1856. A new frame house, still occupied, was erected.
Horning was a minister, energetic and enthusiastic. As he had opportunity he conducted services in schoolhouses. In 1862 the Henry E. Gerdes family, living some miles to the south, lost a little girl. The mother, being a Dunker, desired a Dunker minister for the funeral. Accordingly a messenger was dis- patched to Dutchtown to secure the minister. Through this in- cident the Gerdeses learned that William Horning, a Dunker minister, was living near Malvern. From this Gerdes family came three ministers: David Gerdes and his two sons, E. Wayne, pastor at West Branch, and Galen, pastor at Yellow Creek. Da- vid did time at Leavenworth because of conscientious opposition to war during the first World War. After the funeral of the Gerdes daughter Horning held meetings in the schoolhouse near their home.
In the winter of 1862 Horning, assisted by Isaac Hershey of Pine Creek, held a series of meetings in the Rock Creek school- house. These meetings resulted in a number of baptisms, and are an index to Horning's ministerial activities. Meetings were regularly held in the schoolhouse near Malvern until 1873 when the church purchased the abandoned Advent meetinghouse. About twelve miles to the south lived Ashley Fergesen near Lyndon in the year 1865. As a result of meetings held in that neighborhood a number were added to the church by baptism. That same year Jacob L. Myers from Pennsylvania located near Coleta. These scattered settlements, with Malvern as the cen- ter, led to the organization of the Rock Creek congregation in 1866.
Members living in Whiteside County at first held their mem- bership in the Arnold's Grove congregation. When Dutchtown was organized in late 1858 or early 1859 they became members of the new congregation. In 1866 the membership met, evi- dently in the schoolhouse near Malvern, under the leadership of
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David Rittenhouse for the purpose of forming an organization. They selected Rittenhouse as elder in charge, called Jacob L. Myers and Ashley Fergesen to the ministry and Charles White to the deaconship. Just as Henry Myers stamped his liberal views on Dutchtown so Rittenhouse stamped his old-school ideas on Rock Creek. He had come west because he was not in sym- pathy with the general policy of the Green Tree congregation in the East. Horning held similar views. As a result all through its history Rock Creek took this course. The sincere devotion of the members helped the congregation to a good membership in the days of its prosperity. We should not forget that two of Wil- liam Horning's grandchildren, Emma and Daniel Horning, did yeoman service in China.
The Adventist people had a meetinghouse near Malvern, where they had a goodly following. You will recall that they make much of the second coming. Their leader had set Sunday morning at ten, September 27, 1868, as the time when Jesus would appear to claim his waiting bride. This announcement was fully accepted by the membership and much excitement prevailed in the neighborhood. Some of the Adventists disposed of their property by sale, others by gift. Certain ones constructed a platform on the roof of the church building where they awaited the ecstatic take off on that beautiful Sunday morning. When the Master did not appear the group was disappointed, crest- fallen, sadly dumbfounded. Their influence in the community was gone. The meetinghouse was closed. The Brethren stepped in, purchased the house, enlarged it and made it their center for worship.
When the Brethren purchased the building it was twenty- four by thirty-six feet. They soon doubled its size, making it thirty-six by forty-eight feet. In 1890 they raised the building and put a basement beneath. For some years the leading minis- ters were William Horning, Samuel Haldeman, Jacob L. and Joseph Myers. Death, removals and changes in location made heavy inroads upon the membership. There came a time when only one of the twenty-five remaining members lived within four miles of the church. The time of dissolution was drawing nigh. On the last Sunday of August 1937 the congregation held its last public worship service. On May 15, 1938, the members met, voted unanimously to disorganize and to deed the property to
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the Board of Administration of Northern Illinois and Wiscon- sin. At the same time letters of membership were issued to all members on record at that time.
Then arose the question of what to do with the ground and building. The board acted very wisely. Part of the ground was donated to the Rock Creek cemetery and the balance sold to the owner of the adjoining farm. The White Rapids congre- gation in Wisconsin, about four hundred miles to the northeast, had worshiped for nearly twenty years in a roofed basement and was greatly in need of a better place of worship. The board appointed John Heckman, I. D. Leatherman and O. D. Buck a committee to plan wrecking the Rock Creek house and to trans- port it to White Rapids, where it was to be rebuilt on the old basement walls. Forty-five men of the district met and in two days razed the building, sorted the material and provided for its disposal. The greater part, including seats, doors and windows, was trucked to Wisconsin and the remainder was sold at auction. At district meeting an additional sum of $500 was raised. The men of White Rapids labored on the job and on June 23, 1940, the congregation met and dedicated their new house of worship built largely from the old Adventist-Brethren meetinghouse of Rock Creek. This house is a substantial asset to the community in wooded Wisconsin where the deer, the wolf and the bear still abound.
If one were to summarize the contribution of Rock Creek to the church he would stress the service to the community in its days of prosperity, the Willow Creek congregation, the only Church of the Brethren in South Dakota, the White Rapids meetinghouse and the two missionaries to China. Certainly not a small service was rendered by the men and women who lived and labored in this congregation.
Silver Creek (Mount Morris, 1867)
We have seen that West Branch originally included all the membership of Ogle County. This made Silver Creek a part of West Branch until a separate organization was effected in Feb- ruary of 1867. It is recorded that on Sunday, June 25, 1860, Brethren met for worship in the Albright schoolhouse, which stood two miles north of the Marshall's corner. This was the
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first Brethren service in the neighborhood of what later devel- oped into the Silver Creek congregation. Prior to 1867 monthly services were held in the Silver Creek Center schoolhouse. Here, as in many other instances, the schoolhouse was a chief factor that helped to locate the future meetinghouse and cem- etery.
In February 1867 Enoch Eby of Lena held a week's meeting in the Center schoolhouse, at which time and place the Silver Creek church was organized. The list of resident officials proves that the time for organizing was at hand. There were two min- isters: D. E. Price, an elder, and John W. Moats, a minister in the second degree; four deacons: William Hopwood, Samuel Berger, Daniel Zellers and Samuel C. Price. In addition to the families of these officials other influential families were among the char- ter members, who numbered around one hundred. The mem- bership lived in the neighborhood of Silver Creek and Salem, Mount Morris being between these two localities. D. E. Price was placed in charge of the new organization. Prior to this time he had been rather timid in the ministry, being subject to stage fright. Once he was urged to speak and made the effort. He arose but words failed to come and ideas took flight. Finally one of the ministers said, "Bro. David, what do you want?" "I want to sit down but I can't," was his serious reply. Those who knew him later in life little realized his earlier handicap.
The new congregation did not stop with a formal organiza- tion. There was already a meetinghouse at Salem. They were determined to have one at Silver Creek. They decided to build, not for the present alone, but for the future. Daniel Zellers, Samuel C. Price, Benjamin Swingley, William Young and Joseph Rowe were appointed a committee to plan and direct the build- ing. Here were five family names that have stood out in the history of this congregation. They planned a house forty by seventy feet without basement. The east end was partitioned for kitchen purposes. Near by was an abundance of fine lime- stone. They decided to build of stone, which would be substan- tial, and the hauling distance was short. Because the members had a mind to work the new house was ready for occupancy in the spring of 1868. There was great rejoicing when on May 22 and 23 the Brethren gathered in large numbers for their first love feast. The chief speaker on Friday was D. M. Holsinger of
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Pennsylvania and on Saturday Enoch Eby. The new church was well set for aggressive work.
In those days congregations chose an elder without regard to the limit of his term of service. Many considered that the elder of a congregation was appointed for life or at least until the infirmities of age or misconduct should suggest a change. Some elders unfortunately hung on beyond their years of efficiency. D. E. Price was not among that number. Appointed elder at the time of organization in 1867 he continued to serve until 1903. In 1902 he asked to be relieved of the oversight of the church. In discussing his resignation the sentiment of some of the lead- ers was that he was still well able to carry on. Finally Bro. Price arose and said: "Brethren, I think I could serve a while longer, but I wish to be relieved now. I have seen elders who have held on too long for the good of the cause. The time may come when you will wish me to resign and I will want to con- tinue in charge of the church. I want to resign while I still know myself and before relieving me may embarrass you."
All saw the wisdom of his course, so it was agreed to accept his resignation to take effect a year later. Further, that in the future the elder should be elected annually. A few years later the writer of these lines sat in the home of Bro. Price as he made a friendly call. Those few years had made a great change. Bro. Price said: "I can no longer remember as in former years. I pick up a book or paper and read, lay it aside and again pick it up. No matter where I read it is all new. What I have read before left no impression. Such are the workings of a mind in old age." This incident showed how wise Bro. Price was when he asked to be relieved of the oversight of the congregation.
As the members from Salem and Silver Creek met with each other for worship many of them passed through the village of Mount Morris. Most of them were living in the country. Little by little members began to drift into town, but with three de- nominations already represented there was little need at the time for a Brethren meetinghouse in Mount Morris. In the fall of 1877 D. B. Gibson, then an active evangelist, held a revival in the chapel of Rock River Seminary. As he was an able minister, the meetings aroused much interest. The meetings ended with fourteen baptisms. That presented a new setting. Two years later the Brethren secured ownership of the seminary grounds
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and buildings and opened a school which became Mount Morris College. That raised other problems. In 1881 the Brethren at Work publishing interests were brought from Lanark to Mount Morris. Both the college and the press brought many more Brethren to town. Their coming called for religious services in Mount Morris. The old order had been preaching at Silver Creek and West Branch on alternate Sundays, and Salem every four weeks, fitting in with Pine Creek. When the college came Silver Creek and Mount Morris held services on alternate Sun- days in the morning with evening services in the chapel.
The college also brought the prayer meeting and Sunday school to the town group. The midweek prayer meeting was at first a small affair, a student room being large enough to accom- modate the few students, teachers and others who attended. Those who were in school later well remember the full chapel prayer meetings that were a marked factor in developing the religious life and in leading many to their Savior.
In the fall of 1879 the Sunday school was organized-then a new venture. Mattie Lear from the faculty was elected super- intendent; Levi H. Eby, assistant superintendent; and Katie Price, chorister, though no one would have dared to designate her by that name. The last two were students. The school or- ganization was rather simple. Attendance during the first year was very small. There were only three classes. Mattie Lear and Margaret Lauver each had a class of children. President J. W. Stein taught all the adults in one class in the chapel. His skill in teaching won the adults who, during the second year, almost filled the chapel, many of the country members being regular attendants. During the second year J. E. Young, a stu- dent, was superintendent and Mahlon P. Lichty from the college had charge of the music. The third year called for a reorganiza- tion and many new classes and teachers were added. One of these new teachers was D. L. Miller, in whose class sat a num- ber of students who later became church workers, among whom were E. S. Young, Grant Mahan and John Heckman. While Mount Morris was enjoying a live and growing Sunday school Silver Creek waited until 1887 for its first school. Even then the officers came from Mount Morris; namely, D. L. Miller, super- intendent; E. S. Young and James M. Neff, assistants; Ida Royer, secretary; Galen B. Royer, chorister.
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For many years Silver Creek, Salem and the schoolhouse east of Mount Morris and the one west of town served as train- ing points for the young people of the college and town. Many went to these places to superintend, teach in the Sunday school, and even to preach. Thus these points became practice places that in part substituted for the seminary training which was not available at that time. In the Shaw settlement southwest of Mount Morris such an interest was developed that later a meet- inghouse was built and for some years regular services were conducted for those who otherwise would have been denied the privilege of public worship. This was known as the Columbia group.
As farmers retired they settled in Mount Morris and depleted the country membership. Little by little church attendance at the rural houses decreased while that in town increased. This called for larger and better quarters for church and Sunday school in Mount Morris. When College Hall was erected in 1891 the church contributed $2,600 to the building fund with the un- derstanding that the chapel should be used jointly by the church and school, and the classrooms should be available for the Sun- day school. By 1900 services at the two country houses were discontinued. For a long time all council meetings were held at Silver Creek, then some in Mount Morris and next all in Mount Morris. Finally, in 1910, the name of the congregation was changed from Silver Creek to Mount Morris. The Silver Creek meetinghouse has ceased to be a place of public worship.
Silver Creek was ably served by the free ministry from its organization in 1867 till 1916, when L. H. Root became the first full-time pastor. From 1879 the college and from 1881 the print- ing plant made available a number of able ministers, which condition was one reason why a pastor was not secured earlier. The writer well recalls a conversation with Charles Sharer, a leading citizen and church man, who frequently left his own services and worshiped at the college chapel. When the writer expressed surprise that Sharer did this, in view of the fact that he had an able pastor to whom he could listen each Sunday and who could plan his discourses and services, while at the college chapel one seldom knew who was going to preach and there was not a continuity in subjects treated, Sharer replied: "Yes, there is something in that, and more. You Brethren do not know the
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monotony that goes with listening to the same man every Sun- day, year after year, nor do you realize what you have in the large number of able ministers that fill your pulpit. Your pul- pit teems with virility and freshness that you may not fully ap- preciate." Just another hint that blessings at hand are not al- ways appreciated.
Gradually sentiment was developing for a meetinghouse in town. Some felt that this would tend to greater stability in the local congregation. So long as many of the church workers were chosen from the students and faculty the resident member- ship was not assuming the leadership so essential to build a lo- cal congregation. In 1903 the matter was considered, but there was not sufficient sentiment to warrant aggressive action. For the time being nothing was done. But those who looked to the future did not allow the problem to die.
In 1910 the building question was again raised and a build- ing committee was appointed to solicit funds, but not until 1920 were sufficient funds pledged to warrant beginning building operations. The committee consisted of J. P. Holsinger, Ira Rodafer, Joseph Rodafer, Leslie Johnson, Daniel L. Miller, Levi S. Shively, Price Stouffer, W. E. West and Elmer Snowberger. Actual building was begun in 1921. On July 14 the cornerstone was laid with appropriate services. With some interruption the construction was continued during 1922 and on March 18, 1923, the house was dedicated, the sermon being delivered by Presi- dent Otho Winger of Manchester College. This modern church plant, beautiful in its simplicity, cost approximately $40,000. Next the congregation considered a parsonage. Undaunted by the cost of the church house the church appointed J. P. Hol- singer, Levi S. Shively, George Emmert, Harvey Long, Daniel L. Miller and Chillion Wallace a committee to secure a parson- age. The parsonage was built in 1926. The $9,000 spent on it assured a good building.
Mount Morris is missionary minded. All know of the deep interest D. L. and Elizabeth Miller had in missions and the money they gave to that cause. The church gives liberally to missions. The Sunday school supports Sadie J. Miller in India. A young brother supports Dr. Cunningham in China. The Mis- sionary Society supports D. J. Lichty in India.
The Missionary Society deserves special notice. Mission
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study had long held a prominent place in the school and church. During the school year of 1900-1901 a large group was wont to meet on Sunday afternoons to discuss missionary subjects stud- ied during the week. These studies dealt with the lives of great missionaries. When school opened in 1901 Amos W. Ross fath- ered the organization now known as the Mount Morris Mission- ary Society. In addition to study and discussion a new feature was adopted, namely, that each member pay a certain fee to- wards the support of a missionary on the field. The society has kept up the support of D. J. Lichty. Though death has depleted the original membership, new members and new contributors have been added so that the good work continues as originally planned. Bro. Ross has passed beyond but the Missionary So- ciety goes on.
Though the women were active in church work they were slow in organizing their forces. It was in 1893 that Flora E. Teague from the college got together a group and organized the first Aid in the District of Northern Illinois and Wisconsin. In the late seventies Wealthy A. Clark (later Burkholder), while she was editing the Young Disciple, urged the women of the church to take a more active part in the Sunday school, espe- cially in teaching, and in mission work. Mrs. D. L. Miller was acting as treasurer of mission funds sent in by the women from all over the brotherhood. Groups of women in Pennsylvania were organizing for definite activities in the late eighties. Not- withstanding all this the women of Mount Morris did not or- ganize until February 1893. Mrs. Teague was president for ten years and her daughter Evelyn was made secretary-treasurer. In addition to the officers the following attended the first ses- sions: Sisters D. L. Miller, E. S. Young, J. H. Moore, G. E. Whis- ler, Simon Yundt, Della Snider, Minion Whisler, Salome Stoner, Ida Royer and Mary Royer. Many others were added to their ranks but it seems they kept no record of their work in the early years. In 1920 the membership of forty-seven adopted a con- stitution and chose Ona McCune president and Nettie Stine sec- retary. At the same time they increased their methods of rais- ing money and widened the scope of their benevolences. In the last twenty years they contributed more than $4,000 to worthy causes.
Of this congregation one may say what may be said of every
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other congregation whose membership includes the faculty and students of a Brethren college, that is, that both the local church and the college offer great advantages. To the extent that these opportunities are understood and grasped and the two groups co-operate-to that extent will each benefit. In the case of this congregation there was always full co-operation. As a result the church grew and, when the school closed, the church went right on and has maintained its leadership in the community and throughout the district. This was the first congregation to in- stall an electric organ. The present pastor is Foster B. Statler.
Salem Group
The first members in Ogle County settled at Salem. John Price, Sr., and his two sons, Samuel and Daniel, John Fridley, John Barnhizer, John Miller, Adam Shaw and a few others made up the early Salem group of members. David E. Price came to the neighborhood in 1853. Jacob Long's coming to West Branch with his family in 1845 shifted the center of church ac- tivities to that place, but once a month services were kept up in the schoolhouse in the Salem neighborhood. Salem was never a separate congregation. Its beginnings are a part of early West Branch and Pine Creek; its later activities are a part of the story of Silver Creek. Because of its house of worship and the activities centering therein it is stressed in connection with Silver Creek.
In 1860, at the same time the brethren were assembling the material for the stone church at West Branch, the Salem group set about erecting a small frame church which is still being used for religious services. Those members living in the north part of Salem community held their membership at West Branch and those in the south part at Pine Creek. The local situation is best set out by giving the subscription list of donors and the ex- pense account of the building, as follows:
April 1, 1860, We, the undersigned, agree to pay the sum attached to our names for the purpose of building a house of worship for the use of the German Baptist denomination and to all others free on funeral occa- sions, to be built on the land of S. C. Price. Subscribers:
Salem Group
Samuel C. Price
$175.00
Joseph Hitt 20.00
David E. Price
100.00
John Fridley 39.00
Daniel G. Price
100.00
H. Butterbaugh
15.00
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John W. Price
100.00
J. C. Coffman 10.00
Benjamin Swingley
50.00
John Diehl
10.00
Daniel Zellers
35.00
Joshua Slifer
10.00
Jacob Petrie
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