USA > Illinois > Fulton County > Canton > Canton; its pioneers and history : a continuation to the history of Fulton County > Part 4
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"Resolved, That we, the undersigned, elders and members of this church, will continue to revere and maintain the doctrines and order of our church in this place as the Presbyterian Church.'
Elders.
§ James McPheters, Robert Taylor.
Alex. McPheters, Elizabeth McPheters, Mary McPheters, John McPheters, Wm. McPheters, Mary McPheters, Samuel Warnock, Rebecca Henderson, Julia Kelly,
Members. Martha Jane Warnock, Joseph M. Kelso, Nancy Kelso, Robert C. Culton, Mary Ann Culton,
Jno. Culton, Abigail Culton, Archibald Henderson, Elizabeth Henderson.
(Signed)
JAMES McPHETERS, Clerk."
(
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CANTON: ITS PIONEERS AND HISTORY.
This action seems to have consummated the division of the First Presbyterian Church. , On the one hand was a party, in- eluding the pastor, Rev. Robert Stewart, with elders Jones, Mal- lory, R. Wright, Fairehild-who afterward went to the other branch,-S. G. Wright, and a large majority of the members; on the other hand, two of the elders, viz., James MePheters and Robert Taylor, with nineteen members. Each party elaimed to be the First Presbyterian Church of Canton. Each elaimed to adhere to the original church constitution and artieles of faith. Who were the seceders ? Did the few leave the many ? or, did the many leave the few ? I choose to believe, from the testimony, that right here the First Presbyterian Church of Canton ceased to exist, and that right here was brought into existence the Old- School Presbyterian Church of Canton and the New-School Presbyterian-sinee changed into the Congregational-Church of Canton.
If the old First Church continued to exist at all, it must have been with the majority, who had the officers and the pastor, as well as the records and rules of faith. And yet, it soon became evident that the two were widely divergent in doetrine and prae- tiee. One insensibly became Congregational; the other was at the beginning, and has ever continued, orthodox and rigid Old- Sehool.
The new Presbyterian organization continued to meet, alter- nately with the other new organization, at the church. At the first meeting after the division, held October 28th, 1838, it was resolved that,
"WHEREAS, The Synod has constituted the Presbytery of Peoria, and our church, lying within the bounds of this presbytery, naturally comes under its care; and whereas, our church is vacant, and needs the dispensa- tion of the word and ordinances; therefore,
"Resolved, That we petition the presbytery for supplies at its next meeting."
The minutes of the new church, under date December 29th, 1839, acknowledge in direct terms that they had come out of the old church, by the following entry : "December 29th, 1839.' The members of the church convened at the house of Elder James McPheters, who opened the meeting with prayer. The follow- ing-named persons, who had still retained their connection with the New-School Church, signified their desire to be considered members of this Presbyterian church, viz., Elder Miner Sherwood,
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CANTON: ITS PIONEERS AND HISTORY.
Rahab Sherwood, Harriet Philinda Sherwood, Ezra Fairchild, Anna Fairchild, Electa Fairchild." It was also resolved, at this meeting, to establish a weekly prayer-mecting, and also "to make every effort to obtain a minister and support the Gospel."
This record was signed by James McPheters, clerk.
The church was supplied on Sabbath, January 15th, 1840, by Rev. Samuel McCune, of Marshall county. On the 9th of the following July he was called to the pastorate, and on the 5th of September was installed, at an annual salary of five hundred dollars.
Mr. McCune proved a very acceptable pastor, remaining here until 1850, a period of nearly ten years. Mr. McCunc was not a brilliant man, but eminently pious and thoroughly in sympathy with the doctrines of his church. He was a close and deep reasoner, somewhat prosy, but never illogical. His sermons strengthened and sustained the brethren, but made little impress- ion on sinners. He may be called the first pastor of the Old- School Presbyterian Church.
Some time about 1840, the church property was divided ami- cably between the two churches. The old church edificc went to the Old-School, and the bell was taken by the New-School party. The church cdifice had become dilapidated. The ground upon. which it stood did not belong to the old First Church; conse- quently, the bell was considered fully if not more than an equiva- lent for the church. This building, however, was historical. It was the first church erected in Canton. It had also been used as a school-house when, for a considerable period after the old log school-house had been destroyed, Austin J. Barber, and other pioneer pedagogucs had instructed the youth of Canton. Not- withstanding its old associations, it was becoming an eyesore to the citizens, and it was determined to remove it. Accordingly, in about 1841, a lot was purchased on Elm street, between Third and Fourth strects, and the old church removed to that location. It was also at this time remodeled and enlarged, and is still standing, being now in use by the United Brethren.
In September, 1850, Mr. McCune dissolved his connection with the church, and there was no regular supply until in December of the same year, when Rev. Isaac Bennett was invited to the pastoral care of the church. Mr. Bennett continued in the pas- toral charge of the church, giving satisfaction to his hearers in
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CANTON : ITS PIONEERS AND HISTORY.
both doctrines and Christian deportment, until the time of his death, which occurred on the 16th day of June, 1856, after liav- ing labored here about four years.
After the death of Mr. Bennett, the church had no regular pas- tor, but was supplied for short periods by a number of clergy- men, among whom the first was Rev. Geo. Stebbins, of Rock- River Presbytery, who remained with the church six months, dating from the 19th of October, 1856. The next supply was Rev. J. V. Dodge, who also remained six months, beginning his ministration May 24th, 1857, and receiving a salary at the rate of six hundred dollars per annum. Rev. John Cochran was engaged as the next supply, beginning his ministry here on the 6th day of November, 1859, and remaining about ten months in charge.
From the fall of 1861 until August, 1863, the church was with- out a minister, and depended upon the reading of sermons by some of the elders or leading members.
The church engaged Rev. S. M. Crissman as their supply, and he began his ministration August 2d, 1863, and remained with the church here until about the 1st of January, 1865. Rev. C. Reed succeeded him immediately, and acted as pastor from that time until in the summer of 1868, when he dissolved his connec- tion with the congregation. Mr. Reed was succeeded by Rev. Josiah Moore, a licentiate of Sangamon Presbytery, who was en- gaged as a "supply" September 4th, 1868. Mr. Moore, being acceptable to his congregation, was called to the pastoral care of the church on the 25th of March, 1869. The call was accepted, and on the meeting of the Presbytery of Peoria, which convened at French Grove, he was confirmed to the call. The presbytery ad- journed to, and did meet for his ordination and installation at . the Presbyterian Church at Canton, on the 11th of May, 1869. Mr. Moore still remains in the pastoral care of the church.
In the latter part of the last decade the Presbyterian Society be- gan to feel the need of a new house of worship. The old church, which for so many years had donc double duty as church and school-house, on the Public Square; which had stood so long in its present location that babes christened within its walls had re- turned with babes of their own'to be christened at the same font; the church around which so many precious memories clustered, until cvery plauk in its floor and nail in its door had became sa- credly enshrincd in the hearts of those who for so long a period
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CANTON: ITS PIONEERS AND HISTORY.
had worshiped there, was becoming too small, too dilapidated, to longer accommodate the society. They accordingly deter- mined to build themselves a new church edifice, that should be an honor to the city as well as to the society.
The church was poor, comparatively; yet it was full of zeal, and for it to undertake was to accomplish. Several locations were proposed, but finally a lot was selected and purchased from the estate of Lyman Walker, on Jones street, north side, between Third and Fourth streets. Upon this lot a church edifice was erected, costing-including ground-in the neighborhood of $12,000. The new church was dedicated on the 16th of January, 1870. It is built of brick, with stone trimmings, contains a base- ment and one story, in which is the hall for worship. The build- ing was planned by G. P. Randall, of Chicago, and is an exceed- ingly neat and tasteful edifice, lighted with elegant stained-glass windows, and built in a style of architecture peculiarly American, that is distantly copied from the Gothic.
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The ladies of the society are entitled to great credit for their enterprise, in having purchased and paid for the first brick, the stained glass for the windows, chandeliers, Bible, carpeting, chairs, instrument, registers, etc. The society is now in a pros- perous condition, with a fine prospect for continued usefulness.
THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.
As has been stated in the history of the Presbyterian Church, at the time of the divison four of the elders and a large majority of the members of the old First Presbyterian" Church continued with the pastor in what became the New-School Presbyterian, and at a later period the Congregational Church.
It seems to be a fact that, by the division, the old Presbyterian Church practically ceased to exist, and from its members two new churches came into existence. Neither of these churches appears to have reorganized : cach took from the old church elders and members, being all that was required under the discipline to con- stitute a church. Each, therefore, came into existence with a full and complete organization; therefore cach claimed to be the original church.
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CANTON: ITS PIONEERS AND HISTORY.
Of the original members who had participated in the organiza- tion of the church in 1828, all who were living in Canton went into the New-School party.
The old church had perfected an organization on the 27th day of April, 1836, under the laws of the state, as a body corporate, with the control of its worldly affairs vested in a board of five trustees. These trustees-being the first board elected -were Jocl Wright, James W. Willis, Nathan Jones, Oliver Dewey, and Samuel G. Wright. Robert Stewart was elected pastor, at a salary of five hundred dollars per annum.
The board of trustees for 1836 were Joel Wright, Nathan Jones, Peter Westerfield, Charles Kirkpatrick, and Alexander R. McPheters; and Robert Stewart was again elected pastor.
At the time of the division four out of the five trustces went with the New-School, onc-Mr. McPheters-with the Old-School wing.
On the 9th of April, 1838, a subscription paper was written and circulated, reading as follows :
CANTON, APRIL 9TH, 1838.
WE, the undersigned, wishing to relieve the Rev. Robert Stewart from worldly cares, that he may the more fully devote his time to the duties of the Gospel ministry in connection with the First Presbyterian Church in Canton, agrec that we will pay, in yearly installments, the sums fixed to our respective names, to the trustees in connection with the above-named church and society.
NAMES. AMOUNTS.
· Charles Kirkpatrick. $20.00
Nathan Jones. 50.00
Daniel W. Vittum. 20.00
Isaac P. Taylor. 12.00
Franklin P. Offield 10.50
B. G. Roe. 9.50
Lyman Walker 15.00
Mary Ross. 10.00
Thomas J. Little 10.00
Ezra Fairchild. 10.00
Oliver Dewey. 10.00
Carried forward, $177 00
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CANTON: ITS PIONEERS AND HISTORY.
Brought forward, $177 00
Timothy Norris
5.00
Orville Jones
2.00
John Whitten
10.00
Wells Tyler.
2.00
William Stevens
3.00
L. H. Sovreign
2.00
Jason M. Bass, sen.
10.00
Samuel Mallory
2.00
Cheney Jones
3.00
Mariah Ropes. .
1.00
Joel W. Wright
20.00
J. W. Newel.
7.00
L. Bidamon.
10.00
Joel Coykendall.
15.00
Elias Peek.
15.00
Chester Williams
15.00
J. G. Patterson.
6.00
Benjamin Chase
1.00
Loring Ames.
6.00
Truman Jones
5.00
Minor Sherwood
10.00
Wm. Nichols (paid) Total.
10.00
$337.00
At the annual meeting of the church for the year 1838, held in April, Isaae P. Taylor, John M. Wright, Franklin P. Offield and . Joel Coykendall were elected trustees. These trustees were eleeted in the spring of 1838, before the division, and all of them east their lot with the New-School wing. Both wings held on to the " Saybrook Platform" as their rules of faith.
On the 11th of January, 1841, C. Kirkpatrick, J. R. Walter, Joel Wright, Nathan Jones, Oliver Dewey and John Whitten were appointed a committee to draft a plan for the reorganization of the church. On the 27th of March the committee reported a "Plan of organization, which was received, read and amended." On the 6th of April a blank was filled in the proposed constitu- tion with the name of the "New-School Presbyterian Church," and the constitution so amended was adopted. Thus eame into being the New-School Presbyterian Church, three full years after the division.
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CANTON: ITS PIONEERS AND HISTORY.
During the pendeney of this question of reorganization, at the meeting held on the 8th of March, the trustees, by vote, were "in- strueted to use their own diseretion in regard to the property now owned by the two Presbyterian Churches of Canton." And at the meeting held April 5th, "On motion, [it was] voted that the papers relating to the building of the old meeting-house be delivered up to the trustees of the Old-School Presbyterian Church, and that a receipt be taken for the same." This action indicates the ami- eable arrangement entered into between the two organizations, by which the property of the old First Presbyterian Church was divided.
At the meeting of April 6th, a motion prevailed that "the rules for the regulation of this church be adopted, with the addition of the following, viz., that the pastor shall be a minister in good and regular standing in some ecclesiastical body which does not hold doctrines contrary to the 6th article of the constitution of this church." It will be observed that under this rule a minister might be called from either the New-School or Congregational Church to the pastoral care of this church. This rule remained in foree after the second reorganization, and after the church had become Congregational; and it is a fact that, from the time Mr. Stewart dissolved his connection with the church until the present minister, Rev. Henry Bates, took the pastoral charge, all the ministers were New-School Presbyterian, while the church was Congregational.
Rev. Robert Stewart dissolved his connection with the church.
The church remained without a pastor until in about Septem- ber, 1841, when Rev. L. Spencer was engaged to supply the pul- pit until the following April. He gave so good satisfaction during that period that he was engaged as pastor, and installed accord- ingly, some time in April, 1842.
On the 29th day of January, 1842, " After some conversation, a motion was made and carried that a committee be appointed to draft a constitution for organizing a Congregational Church." On the 4th of February, 1842, this committee, at a regular church meeting, reported a constitution. Their report was adopted, and the compend formerly used by the First Presbyterian Church of Canton appended to the new constitution. Thus the church had within four years been Presbyterian, New-School Presbyterian, and Congregational; yet through it all had retained precisely the
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CANTON: ITS PIONEERS AND HISTORY.
same compendium of religious faith. The change was only in name and form of government, and not in religious opinion. The Articles of Faith and Covenant were the same as adopted by the Schuyler Presbytery in 1837, and recommended to the churches under its care.
At one of the church meetings held in 1841, the doctrine of. female suffrage, so far as the church was concerned, received an in- dorscment by the passage of the following motion :
"Resolved, That the female members of this church over eighteen years of age have the privilege of voting at the meetings of this church, and that there is equal responsibility resting upon them in regard to the spiritual in- terests of the church."
At the meeting held April 6th, 1841, it was decided to build a meeting-house as soon as possible, and Nathan Jones and Charles Kirkpatrick were appointed a committee to secure subscriptions for that purpose.
One year after deciding to build the meeting-house, viz., April 4th, 1842, the trustees reported what they had done toward the building of the new church. The house was up and inclosed, but not finished.
In the winter of 1842-'3, there was some feeling in the church in regard to statements made by persons outside of the organiza- tion that the timber for the new church had been obtained on a "stump quarter." Previous to this time it had never been gen- erally looked upon as sinful to obtain timber from the "stump quarters ": every body had done so, and had concocted a certain specious mode of reasoning by which they had justified them- selves and each other. There had been several churches and school-houses in the county built with this stolen timber, and no onc had objected; but now the county was filling up with new settlers from the older states, who could not appreciate the soph- ism of the argument that every stick of timber cut from a "stump quarter" added to its value, by developing the country and fenc- ing and improving contiguous lands.
The church now felt called upon to take some action in regard to this question. Accordingly, at a meeting held on the 16th of February, 1843, the following resolutions were adopted, after some discussion :
"Resolved, That this church consider the practice of hooking timber to be a sin, and if persisted in should subject the offender to church discipline.
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. CANTON: ITS PIONEERS AND HISTORY.
"Resolved, That the practice of buying stolen timber (knowing it to be stolen) is encouraging theft and participating in the sin, and should subject the offender to the same censure."
These resolutions had a good effect. It is true that the old pioneers of the congregation would never consider "hooking tim- ber" a very heinous sin; but the new-comers and younger mem- bers were so far influenced by it that they were not likely to fall into the practice.
· Rev. L. Spencer, who had been called to the pastoral charge in the early part of 1842, severed his connection with the church in the spring of 1844, after remaining two years. Mr. Spencer was the second pastor of the New-School-now Congregational - Church, and filled the office very acceptably.
In April, 1845, the trustees of the church were instructed, at the annual meeting, to "ascertain the cost of finishing the church in a good and substantial manner"; that they obtain subscrip- tions from persons outside of the church, and assess the deficit among the members. This action resulted in the completion of the Congregational Meeting-House-the trustees reporting on the 6th of January, 1846, that the church was now finished, at a cost of about $3000. This building was situated on the south side of Elm street, west of the Public Square, between Main and Wood streets, and is now owned and occupied by the Lutheran Church.
The church had been without a regular pastor from the time of Mr. Spencer's leaving until the winter of 1845-'6 when Rev. Williston Jones, a son of Deacon Nathan Jones, was called to the pastoral care. Mr. Jones was a New-School Presbyterian, a man of fine education, and an earnest, devoted Christian. He had been educated expressly for the ministry, and his good olá father had been looking forward for years to see his only son installed as pastor of his own church. It was indeed, then, a gratification to him to see Williston selected as pastor, and in this gratification the church, who were devotedly attached to the dea- con, participated.
In 1848, January 1st, the following-named persons were dis- missed from the church, for the purpose of being organized into a church at Independence, in Putman township, viz., Deacon Samuel Mallory and wife, Wm. Nichols and wife, Mrs. Mary Bagley, Miss Eveline Bagley, and Mrs. Esther Nichols.
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CANTON: ITS PIONEERS AND HISTORY. .
RESOLUTIONS ON SLAVERY.
. In 1848, the question of Slavery, which had so long been agi- tating the country, received a formal recognition from the Con- gregational Society of Canton. At the annual meeting, held April 4th, the following resolutions were adopted, nearly all of them by a unanimous vote :
1. That slavery, the holding and using of men as property, is a palpable and gross violation of the moral law and Golden Rule, and as such is wrong-is Sin; and is one of the greatest curses that can befall any pcoplc.
2. That we deplore its existence in our beloved country ; and hold it to be the bounden duty of this people, since wrong should be rectified, to do away with slavery from our country, at the earliest practical period: our duty to the enslaved and our duty to ourselves as a Nation imperiously de- mands it.
3. That while the guilt of slavery must rest chiefly on those states that up- hold it, and on those individuals who practice it; yet slavery is also a national sin, being tolerated and protected by our national compact; and, as such, the guilt of it rests upon the nation, and upon all the component elements of the nation : upon all the states, and upon every individual of them all: unless they do all they can to remove it.
4. That we as individuals, and as a community, being a part of these United States, a portion of that guilt rests upon us in common with others, unless we free our skirts. With that endeavor, and in utter detestation of slavery itself, we do most solemnly and earnestly protest against it, as wrong-as sin against God, and deserving his just displeasure.
5. That we sincerely sympathize with those living in slave states, and owning slaves, who, when they would frce themselves from the sin of slavc- ry, find a pressure of circumstances surrounding them which well-nigli ab- solutely forbids their freeing their slaves in any practicable way.
6. That our National Constitution gives to the several states in which slavery exists the exclusive legal right to regulate their internal affairs; and the abolition of slavery must therefore be the act of the several states in which slavery exists; and, of course, we in the free states can not interfere with it, in any other way than by withdrawing, as far as may be, the nation- al protection and sanction, and by the inoral power of truth-by speaking out our views in regard to its enormity, and bearing our testimony against it.
7. That the law of love and the Golden Rule make it our bounden duty to warn our brother of his sins, and that neglect to do so would make us par- takers of his guilt; and hence we can not be silent without incurring guilt ourselves, and must utter our testimony, as we now do, against this great national and individual sin.
These resolutions were expressive of the opinions of a large majority of the communicants of the church, although a few were displeased with them, but did not openly protest.
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CANTON: ITS PIONEERS AND HISTORY.
In the winter of 1848-'9, Rev. Williston Jones, after having been pastor two years, resigned the pastoral charge. Mr. Jones .. was the third pastor of the church, and left with the friendship of his congregation. He was by no means an eloquent man, but was sincere, and won the respect of all by his upright life.
Immediately after Mr. Jones's resignation, a proposition was received from the Old-School Presbyterian Session that,
"WHEREAS, The aspcritics of former times between the Presbyterian Church in Canton and what is known as the Congregational Church arc at the present time greatly abated ; and whereas, under circum - stances like these, the great cause of truth and godliness might be better subserve by the united cooperation and influence of both societies;
"Resolved, by the Session of the Presbyterian Church, that this body will hold itself in readiness to confer with a committee of deacons or members appointed by the Congregational Church, respecting the propriety and prac- ticability of a union of the two churches."
This resolution, evidently prompted by a Christian spirit, re- sulted in the appointment of a committee to confer with a like eommittee from the Presbyterian Church. This committee con- sisted of Deacon John M. Wright, John W. Ingersoll, and Dea- con Charles Kirkpatrick. This committee appear never to have made a report: at least, the church records show no further men- tion of the subjeet.
The ehureh being without a pastor, Rev. Mr. Hubbard was in- vited to labor with the ehureh for a time, and did so for a short period.
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