USA > Illinois > Brethren in northern Illinois and Wisconsin > Part 9
USA > Wisconsin > Brethren in northern Illinois and Wisconsin > Part 9
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called for a house 36 by 56 feet with a wing 36 by 14 feet for Sunday-school classrooms and so laid out that it could be opened into the church auditorium. The building was to be brick veneer with basement well out of the ground. A gallery over the vestry provides additional seating room. The entire cost was $4,500. On January 1, 1905, a large congregation assembled to dedicate the church, I. D. Parker of Ohio delivering the ded- icatory sermon.
Following the dedication Parker continued with a series of meetings that resulted in four baptisms. On March 1 David A. Rowland was engaged as full-time pastor, being the first pas- tor. He continued in this capacity for three years. And remem- ber that the congregation had not yet been separated from Pine Creek. H. J. Baker, the present pastor, is the ninth to follow Rowland. Prior to the pastoral period the ministers from Pine Creek-Edmund Forney, John Heckman, William E. Trostle, Collin C. Price, William Lampin and Callo Fahrney-did the preaching both at Pine Creek and Polo. Conditions were so shaping that on September 20, 1905, Pine Creek passed a reso- lution granting the members in and around Polo the privilege of organizing as a separate congregation. Six days later the group met for this purpose in the new church under the leader- ship of M. S. Newcomer and John Heckman. Officers elected were: elder, John Heckman; treasurer, John Burner; clerk, Philip Graybill. The growth of the church is reflected in the Yearbook of 1941, which gives 279 as the total membership. Polo is one of the congregations that have lived under the single pastor system, although other ministers have resided in its terri- tory most of this time.
Polo's interest in missions is shown in the fact that one of her ministers, Clarence C. Heckman, and wife, Lucile Gibson Heck- man of Girard, Illinois, after finishing at Mount Morris College, sailed as missionaries to Nigeria in 1924 and have been on the field since that time except for furlough periods spent in the States.
The Aid dates back to the time the church was organized. The women have spent many hours in quilting, making comfort- ers, prayer veils and similar work. From the proceeds of their labors they help support missions and meet community needs. Mrs. Eliza Burner was the first Aid president. She was followed
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by Mrs. David Gilbert, who served for many years. On April 11, 1931, the women organized the Friendship Circle with Mamie Brantner as president and Ruth Heckman as secretary, conduct- ing bake sales, serving lunches at farm sales, selling useful ar- ticles and taking special collections, bringing into the treasury funds which in turn help support women's projects, local church expenses, the Home and welfare work for the sick and needy. In their monthly meetings they pursue definite courses of study for social and educational improvement. They sponsor mother and daughter banquets and family night annually. They study a book on missions each year. They keep posted on what oth- ers are doing and are regular in their attendance at group gath- erings of the district. Since 1931 their total contributions have averaged $130 per year.
Nor have the men been slack in their activities. As a group they undertook remodeling the church in the winter of 1928-29, at a cost of $1,400 in material and $1,250 in volunteer labor. In 1935 they sponsored redecorating the entire interior of the church. Seeing the result of united effort in these projects they decided to organize permanently as a Men's Work group and chose John Heckman as their first manager. Their membership of thirty-five has sponsored placing the Gospel Messenger in at least seventy-five per cent of the church homes. They also have charge of the home mission offering and sponsor the father and son banquet.
In the thirty-six years of its organization Polo has called two men to the ministry. In that same period six elders have been in charge, during which time John Heckman served for twenty consecutive years. The present large membership comes from baptisms and from the transfer of letters from West Branch and Pine Creek, which shows how one's loss may be another's gain.
Dixon (1908)
Adam Paine of Ohio was an early missionary among the In- dians in northern Illinois. One tradition is that he was a Dunk- ard preacher. He is also referred to as an "Albright preacher." Though we may not be sure of his church relation, we do know that he labored with the Indians, among whom he was held in
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high esteem, that he was killed by Indians during the Black- hawk War and that he preached in Dixon in 1832. If he really was a member of the Church of the Brethren that first sermon was the first Brethren sermon in this part of the state. In 1875 or 1876 Edmund Forney of Pine Creek came to Dixon and preached in the home of Samuel Falkender. The beginning of permanent work in Dixon was in August of 1898 when John Heckman and other Pine Creek ministers began holding meet- ings every two weeks on Sunday afternoon in the Evangelical church of North Dixon and continued for nearly one year. Mem- bers in and around Dixon who attended these services were: Ed and Alice Gallup, Dan and Rilla Kump, Charles Boyd and sister, Mary Brown, Matthew Myers, wife and daughters, Sarah and Hattie, Mrs. Jones, Warren W. Lehman and Nellie Greenawalt. In 1901 meetings were resumed in the same church and were continued for about a year.
A lot was secured for a church site on the north side. Though services were discontinued interest was not lagging. For two years prayer meetings were held in the homes of members. When a group can continue prayer meetings even though there is no preaching you may expect something to happen. Down through the ages prayer has been a mighty force in the Christian Church. Indifference to the prayer meeting today is the out- growth of a worldly church. Mrs. Warren W. Lehman and Mrs. Bowers wrote to the ministers of Franklin Grove and Pine Creek asking for preaching in Dixon. As a result the mission board became interested and located Eva Trostle as mission worker. On July 1, 1904, she began her work, having secured a hall on Galena Street in which the group met every Sunday morning for Sunday school and preaching. Later the services were moved to the People's church south of the river. As the river was the dividing line between Pine Creek and Franklin Grove this placed the mission within the bounds of the Franklin Grove congregation, which now took it in hand. Charles A. Spencer, now an elder in Michigan, was baptized in 1905. This was the first addition by baptism to the Dixon group. In July of 1906 Joshua Wingert, C. W. Lahman and David Barkman pur- chased the present church site, on which a meetinghouse was erected a year later. Franklin Grove furnished most of the finances for the house, but was assisted by Pine Creek and oth-
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ers. October 22, 1907, was a happy day for on that day the house was dedicated, the sermon being delivered by I. B. Trout.
Those who were about to become charter members of the Dixon church held their first business session on January 1, 1908. At this time they chose the following officers: Peter Frantz, clerk; George W. Miller, treasurer and church litera- ture agent; George W. Miller, superintendent; Peter Frantz, as- sistant; Margaret Lehman, secretary; Andrew Moats, treasurer, and Hattie Hultz, chorister. Cyrus M. Suter, elder of Franklin Grove, was retained as overseer of the congregation until the permanent organization could be completed. A Christian Work- ers' society was organized and by-laws for the same were adopted.
On March 16 the members met in their second business meet- ing to consider a permanent organization, at which time John Heckman, mission board chairman, presided. A resolution was passed to ascertain the mind of the members living within the proposed church territory. Should the group favor a permanent organization, the matter was to be presented to the Franklin Grove congregation, in which most of the Dixon group held their membership. The Franklin Grove church having voted favorably, on June 1 the Dixon group voted to complete the or- ganization. Cyrus M. Suter and George W. Miller were ap- pointed to make the necessary arrangements. Just one week later the members met to complete the work. Each of the thirty-seven charter members keenly felt the obligations as- sumed by signing in ink the following declaration:
We do now take upon ourselves the responsibility of a congregation, looking to God for his assisting grace to help us in our great weakness. We pledge ourselves anew to the principles and teachings of the gospel as understood by the Church of the Brethren, and pledge our faithful- ness one to the other in the Lord's work. We therefore place our signature as charter members.
John Heckman was chosen as elder. The mission board had secured George W. Miller as pastor. He served in this capacity till October 1. Following him O. D. Buck supplied the pulpit until March 1, 1909, when Olin F. Shaw began his seven-year service as pastor and elder. His pastorate laid a fine foundation of good will among the people, especially among the business men. On May 18, 1916, the church house was dedicated anew
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when Henry W. Hicks and Margaret S. Lehman were married.
Mrs. Julia Slough owned the house adjoining the church lot. The church appealed to her to such an extent that in 1910 she deeded the property to the church, suggesting that it be used for a parsonage. Seven years later the property and part of the lot were sold and a new parsonage was erected between the house and the church at a cost of $3,302.27.
In 1938 the congregation voted to remodel and enlarge the church house and appointed as a building committee Allen Wade, W. F. Dickey, Melvin Burgard, Jesse Brantner, Edward Myers and Roy Plowman. The total cost of this project was ap- proximately $9,000. The congregation pledged itself to liquidate this amount as rapidly as possible and has been doing so from week-to-week offerings along with such special gifts as may come in from time to time. A large audience met on December 4, 1938, when Rufus D. Bowman delivered the dedicatory ser- mon. Dixon has had nine pastors, the present one, W. E. Thomp- son, beginning his services in 1932.
The women began some Aid work in 1904, directed by Eva Trostle in her early missionary work, by gathering used clothing to be made over for needy children. In the summer of 1906 sixteen women met at the home of Mrs. Martha Reed and or- ganized the Aid with Mrs. Ella Moats president and Mrs. Hattie Hultz secretary-treasurer. They first did custom quilting and comforter knotting. The work soon grew into making garments and useful articles to sell. They did hemming, custom ironing and fruit canning for college and seminary, conducted bake sales and introduced mite boxes. Their contributions were made to Women's Work, both national and local, to missions, scholar- ships, the Home, eatables to hobos in Chicago, church budget, and various church improvements. Their record is incomplete, but in the last six years their books show a total cash contribu- tion of $435, besides much that was given in the form of material not to be measured in money. They meet regularly, sometimes every two weeks, sometimes weekly. They keep in mind their spiritual and social needs by devotions and mission study and their social life by luncheons and dinners.
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Rockford (1911)
In the early nineties there were but few members living in the city of Rockford and in the country district near the city. Among the few in the city were Susan Emmert Wertz and a Sister Burkholder. For the first religious service by the Breth- ren we go to the home of William Hedrick. During the fall and winter of 1895 Simon Yundt of Mount Morris held some meet- ings in the homes of members and a year later in a rented hall C. P. Rowland from Cherry Grove did some preaching in Rock- ford. The purchase of a dozen hymnals in May 1896 suggests a growing interest. Members from the country attended the meet- ings and helped as they could. For the four years following, services were conducted rather irregularly. Among the ministers who filled these appointments were D. B. Senger, D. E. Price, S. I. Newcomer, Nelson Shirk, Ephraim P. Trostle, John C. Lampin and P. R. Keltner. While these attempts did not pro- duce any great results they did keep interest alive and held out the hope of something more permanent.
On January 1, 1902, Tempe Sauble, under the direction of the district board, became their missionary in Rockford. She continued her labors for two years, during which time a good foundation was laid for the years to follow. A hall was rented on South Main Street, a Sunday school was organized and preaching services came every Sunday instead of at random as before. On May 23, 1903, D. E. Price officiated as the members gathered for their first love feast. The group took new courage when the board located Henry J. Neff from Indiana among them as their first settled pastor. He took charge in July of 1904 but remained only seven months. Activities slowed up for lack of a leader, but the board was hopeful and sought a per- manent pastor. They turned to Peter R. Keltner and wife, whose team work in Sterling showed what could be done in the city. In March 1906 the Keltners closed their fourteen years of service in Sterling and located in Rockford, where they began to carry on under the mission board. Preaching and Sunday school were continued on South Main Street. All felt the need of a meetinghouse, if an abiding work was to be established. Kelt- ner was sent into the field during that summer to solicit funds for a lot and building. From ten Illinois congregations he se-
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cured pledges for $3,138.80 towards the project. The board ap- pointed Grant Mahan, John Heckman and P. R. Keltner to se- cure a suitable location. The committee found a growing section in South Rockford and secured a lot on the corner of West and Morgan Streets.
Next the board appointed a building committee consisting of C. W. Lahman, Grant Mahan and P. R. Keltner. Under the supervision of the committee the house was erected in 1907. On December 15 the congregation met to dedicate the house to the service of God in Rockford. D. L. Miller, assisted by J. E. Miller, delivered the dedicatory sermon. The total cost of the plant was $7,257.28. With a new house and a permanent location the Sun- day school grew to such proportions that a sister missionary was located in Rockford while other workers came in from Mount Morris College on Sundays. During those years perma- nent helpers were Goldie Swartz, Bertha Brunskill and Mollie Wine. Anna Miller, Mina Bosserman and others assisted from time to time. Ten baptisms were recorded for 1909. This increase of their number suggested the next step. On July 23, 1911, J. G. Royer and John Heckman met with the congregation and ef- fected a permanent organization with a goodly number of char- ter members.
When Pastor Keltner took up his labors in Rockford in 1906 there were only six members living in the city-all women: Lavina Brocunier, Lydia Hedrick, Lydia Bricknell, Susan Em- mert Wertz, Elwin Speaker and Sister Shively. Six years later when they were called to Freeport they left sixty-four members in Rockford. O. P. Haines was the next pastor. Goldie Swartz continued her labors for four more years and then sailed for India, which has been her field of labor since 1916.
The factories brought in many foreigners so that the com- plexion of the neighborhood was completely changed in a few years. This interfered materially with the Sunday-school at- tendance. It was deemed wise to change location. There being a large colored colony near the church, the house was sold to the Pilgrim Rest Baptist (colored) congregation for $5,000, and a location was secured in a new and growing section on West State Street. Here a new building, erected in 1922 through the co-operation of the congregation and the mission board, was dedicated on February 28, 1923.
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Rockford being a furniture factory center has had its ups and downs in employment. Periods of unemployment naturally react upon church activities where many of the church people work in factories. During the thirty-five years since the con- gregation began its permanent labors under Keltner there have been fourteen pastors. Of this number Keltner, Haines and D. D. Funderburg each served six years. The frequent chang- ing of pastors does not build stability in a congregation. The church has always had some most consecrated members. Pos- sibly the fact that home owners are not as numerous as in some congregations has led to a more frequent shifting of the mem- bership. The church is well located, has a good house of wor- ship and a splendid parsonage close by. Carl Smucker is the present pastor of the 158 members on the roll.
The Aid has been active in missions, projects of Women's Work and religious education in Rockford. For social and spiritual improvement during the summer months there have been meetings with families living in the country, and well- planned mission study for nine months of the year. Early rec- ords have been lost but since June 1926 money and materials contributed have amounted to more than $1,600.
Freeport (1920)
Brethren activities in Freeport began not by chance, but after a careful study was made. The Freeport territory was a part of Yellow Creek. It was in 1905 that Yellow Creek asked district meeting to open a mission in Freeport. The request went un- heeded for six years; then the mission board decided to open a new mission somewhere in the district. Places under consid- eration were DeKalb, Rochelle, Moline and Freeport. During 1911 the board made a thorough study of each of these cities and recommended to district meeting that the new mission be started in Freeport. District meeting approved the recom- mendation unanimously and authorized the board to plan for the funds by soliciting the several congregations.
The board, in the spring of 1912, transferred Peter R. Kelt- ner and wife from Rockford to Freeport as they had formerly transferred them from Sterling to Rockford. Freeport was to
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be the third city mission for the Keltners. Keltner was to be both pastor and solicitor of funds. Later in the year the present church site was purchased at a cost of $4,000. The residence on the site was moved to the east part of the lot and plans were set in operation to build the church house. The store building on the rear of the lot was fitted up temporarily for Sunday school and preaching services. Here on August 10, 1913, Keltner held the first public Brethren service in Freeport with just eighteen present. At first the attendance was small, but the prospect of permanency inspired confidence in the community. During the following year the present brick meetinghouse was erected at an approximate cost of $6,000. On January 24, 1915, the con- gregation met for dedication services, which were conducted by Galen B. Royer.
When the Keltners came to Freeport they found the follow- ing eight members in the city: Mrs. Charles Reed, Carrie Reed, Harry Reed, David Wareham and wife, Mary, Sister Weader and Tobias Bere and wife. Progress at first was slow, but at the end of seven years there were fifty-nine members and almost one hundred enrolled in the Sunday school. At present there are 165 on the membership roll who are shepherded by Clarence B. Fike. The church was formally organized on October 20, 1920. The church has grown through baptisms and through the influx of members who are drawn to the city because of the industries that offer work. Stable rural folk have contributed their part in the church's growth. For most of its history the congrega- tion has had the benefit of a settled pastor so that a set program could be followed. There was a period when there was little activity and it seemed as though the effort would have to be abandoned, but the membership rallied to the support of aggres- sive pastors who were awake to the possibilities, and thus sta- bility was secured.
The Aid dates back to January 9, 1924, when seventeen char- ter women met in the home of Mrs. Kinney, organized and held their first meeting. At that time Mrs. G. G. Canfield was chosen president and Grace Heisler secretary. Their activities are various, such as embroidering pillow cases, making aprons, tea towels and quilt tops, selling jello and Christmas cards, opening the mite boxes once a year and rendering help wherever needed. Along with this they engage in Bible study, try to discover new
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methods of self-improvement and endeavor to further the church and its service to the community. Their contributions average about $250 annually.
Chelsea (1924)
At an early day a group of families settled northwest of Yel- low Creek and about eight miles west of Lena. These were first a part of Yellow Creek, but when the Waddams Grove congrega- tion was organized they became a part of it. For some years services were held once a month to accommodate these members, chief among whom were the families of Benjamin Kepner, W. K. Moore (ministers), Enoch Myers, Enoch X. Myers, Rudolph My- ers, George Eby, Isaac Rhodes and Peter Bowman. Though there was no desire for a separate organization, there was a long- ing for a better place of worship. The question was taken up with the congregation and the decision was to build on the southwest corner of the Benjamin Kepner farm. Because the location did not meet the approval of some nothing was done at the time. It was on January 8, 1874, that the group around Chelsea met in the home of Enoch Myers to consider the build- ing project further. Sentiment was so strong that Enoch Myers, George Eby and W. K. Moore were appointed a committee to further the project. Two weeks later they met in the home of George Eby "to finish the meetinghouse business." Because the majority of the Chelsea members had rejected the location at first agreed upon by the congregation it was later decided to turn the location over to the Chelsea group. The result was that the present site was chosen, one acre of ground being donated for that purpose by Rudolph Myers. Enoch Myers and George Eby took the contract for the building, which was thirty-two by forty-eight feet, at a cost of about $1,600. It was to be a one- room structure without basement. By October the house was ready for the plasterers, and was completed in January of 1875. The first meeting was held in it on January 24, the sermon being delivered by Enoch Eby, whose remains lie buried in the Chel- sea cemetery. With two meetinghouses the congregation wor- shiped alternately in the Chelsea and Louisa houses. About 1876 a Sunday school was organized for Chelsea.
Homes in the community shifted. When the eastern part of
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the membership moved the services from the Louisa house to Lena the rift between the two groups widened. The Chelsea group wanted services continued at their house. At a council meeting on June 24, 1924, they petitioned Waddams Grove for permission to organize as a separate congregation. They were granted the privilege. After this meeting they petitioned the elder of the Waddams Grove church as follows:
To Whom These Presents May Come, Greeting: Whereas, a regular business meeting of the Church of the Brethren, Waddams Grove congre- gation, was held on the twenty-first day of June, 1924, and, whereas, Said meeting did, by a majority vote and grant permission to the members of said congregation, living in the vicinity of Chelsea meetinghouse the right to organize a separate organization. Therefore, Be it resolved, that, we the undersigned do hereby petition, Brother John Heckman, elder of said church, that he take immediate steps, in accordance with Annual Meeting decisions, to complete such organization, and secure to the under- signed title to the Chelsea meetinghouse, and the right to worship therein.
Signed: Lena Stouffer, Jennie Myers, Jessie Myers, Little Myers, A. M. Stouffer, Sadie Stouffer, Lee Farringer, Jane M. Myers, J. C. Lytle, Ray- mond Myers, Elsie M. Lytle, Effa Myers, Susan Myers, W. G. Eisenbise.
Bro. Heckman complied with their petition and with the assistance of August Kuhlman on August 23, 1924, the congrega- tion was organized. Heckman was chosen as elder but at the next business meeting on October 23 he resigned and P. R. Keltner was chosen in his stead.
Meetings were continued for about three years. When Wad- dams Grove allowed the property to pass into the hands of the new congregation it was stipulated that, if the organization should cease to operate, the property should revert to Waddams Grove. For several years the house stood idle, some friends in the neighborhood keeping it in repair. What to do with the house was before district meeting on several occasions. On July 11, 1931, Charles D. Bonsack and J. W. Lear met with the congregation to consider the future. The church voted to dis- band. Letters of membership were issued to those on the roll and the Chelsea congregation became an organization of the past. Final disposition led to an appraisal of the property at $375. The community paid half that sum to the Lena church for its remaining interest in the property. The Lena church then is- sued a quit claim deed for the property to the Chelsea Cemetery Association. Such was the end of this meetinghouse which had rendered a fine service to the community.
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