USA > Illinois > Church of the Brethren in southern Illinois > Part 8
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At one time there was a church at the corner of Gordon and Second streets, but the lot was condemned for railroad purposes and the building had to be sold. Brother Daniel Ulery, who lived four miles south of Sheller, offered a build-
PLEASANT GROVE CHURCH
ing site for a church, and arrangements were under way to build when Brother Louis Shoemaker offered a wooded
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corner of his farm, as it afforded ample shade for the horses during the time of services. This location was chosen, and is the present site of a building erected in 1903. The name of the church was changed to Pleasant Grove in 1910.
Three other ministers were elected in this congregation: John F. Campbell in 1903, and later, Sherman Shoemaker and George Morgan. These elders have been in charge of the church: John Metzger, 1882-1885; David F. Eby, 1885- 1891; D. Frantz, 1892; Henry Lilligh, 1893-1904, 1911; John W. Harshbarger, 1905-1910, 1927; George W. Miller, 1912, 1915-1916; S. W. Garber, 1913; Daniel Ulery, 1914; Urias Blough, 1917, 1925, 1928; J. W. Switzer, 1926; S. H. Shoemaker, 1929-1942; Oliver Dearing, 1943-1944; Ausby Swinger, 1946 -.
ST. LOUIS (1883-1887)
A record of the St. Louis, Missouri, church belongs in the history of the District of Southern Illinois because the first work of the Brethren there was done by ministers from Southern Illinois and, for a time, the organized church was under the care of Southern Illinois.
In 1881 John Wise wrote in the Primitive Christian for February 3 an account of his preaching in St. Louis with Daniel Vaniman and John Metzger; the latter came to help close the meetings. Another record of meetings held in 1881 is given in The Life of Uncle John Metzger, page 53 and following:
Going to St. Louis and finding no place to hold services he went to the Salvation Army Hall, where the leader of the meeting saw him and urged him to speak . . .. The next day being Sunday he was invited to be present at 3:30 P.M. ... In the forenoon he went out to the park and seeing many people there he began to preach to them. Next he went to the river bank where he spoke twenty-five minutes to five hundred people and he invited them to the hall where he would preach as per appointment. In the
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evening he again attended the Salvation Army service and the leader requested that he should go out and preach on the balcony to the people, which he did. In a week there were four applicants for baptism. In a month there were four more.
The St. Louis church was organized November 27, 1881, and was known as the First St. Louis Brethren church. There were twenty-two members and John Metzger was their elder; Henry Shomber was a resident minister but soon moved away. In the Brethren at Work, July 11, 1882, F. C. Myers wrote that Henry Shomber, then of Goshen, In- diana, visited them at St. Louis and held a series of meet- ings with three baptized at the close of the meetings. Meet- ings were continued and at nearly every meeting some were added by baptism. These efforts resulted in the need for a church house. Contributions were solicited and the re- sponses were fine. At the Annual Meeting held at Ashland, Ohio, a collection was taken and given to Uncle John to erect a house of worship in St. Louis. He determined not to build until sufficient means were at hand. In 1883, he began work. All the care and labor fell to him and perplex- ing as it was, he went through it all successfully and ac- counted for all the money received and paid out. The house was completed and all accounts were carefully audited by a committee chosen by Annual Meeting.1
The church house was dedicated November 25, 1883, by Daniel Vaniman. An account of the dedication appeared in the Gospel Messenger of December 11, 1883.
Early in 1884 a committee appointed by district meet- ing secured Elder R. K. Berkebile, of Defiance, Ohio, to move to St. Louis and take charge of the work there. In the Gospel Messenger of May 13, 1884, A. W. Vaniman re- ported that the Sunday-school work was encouraging with increasing numbers and interest. Brother Berkebile wrote in the Gospel Messenger, September 23, 1884, that he had
1 M. M. Eshelman, A Model Life of Uncle John Metzger on Earth. Mount Morris, Brethren Publishing House, 1898
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labored at the Exposition Building as a carpenter every day for two months. He gave a schedule of one of his Sunday's work: at 10:00 A.M. he taught a Bible class in the Sunday school, preached at 11 o'clock, at 3:30 preached a funeral sermon, and also preached at the church again in the eve- ning. He requested help in the ministry and A. W. Vaniman was elected and installed into office September 5, 1884.
In 1886 the following request came to district meeting: "Since the St. Louis church is an organized body outside of Southern Illinois and the property belongs to the General Brotherhood, we ask Annual Meeting through District Meet- ing to remove the burden of care from this district to the General Church Erection and Missionary Committee." The request was granted.1
At the same meeting, Elders John Metzger and Daniel Vaniman were appointed to make arrangements for the work in St. Louis, as R. K. Berkebile was soon to leave. These elders reported to the district meeting of 1887 that of the thirty members baptized into the First St. Louis Brethren church only seven remained and that some of these intended to move away soon. As no way seemed open to make the church prosper under existing circumstances, on September 11, 1887, by the consent of the members, the church was disorganized and letters were given to the re- maining members. It was recommended to the next An- nual Meeting that the church property in St. Louis be sold and the funds be used by the General Church Erection and Missionary Committee to forward the Lord's work.2 The minutes of the 1888 Annual Conference record the adoption of this recommendation.
1 Compiled Minutes and History of the Church of the Brethren of the Southern District of Illinois. Page 94
2 Ibid. Page 99
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CERRO GORDO (1884-)
The Cerro Gordo church is in the town of Cerro Gordo, near the west edge of Piatt County. The early history of this church is included in the account of the Oakley church, as they were one body called the Cerro Gordo, Macon County, church until the division of territory in 1884. The east part took the name, Cerro Gordo, and the west part, Oakley.
A church house had been built in Cerro Gordo by John Metzger at his own expense and dedicated in December 1878 by Elder R. H. Miller.1
OLD CERRO GORDO CHURCH
In December 1878 George Cripe was holding a series of meetings in the Milmine church. He wrote for the Breth- ren at Work of January 30, 1879: "On Christmas I went to Cerro Gordo to attend a communion. The occasion was a very solemn one, being the first meeting of its kind ever held in Cerro Gordo ... the meeting was held in the new
1 Brethren at Work, January 2, 1879
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meeting-house, built by Brother John Metzger, and he being so much afflicted at the time . " Elder Metzger was wrapped in blankets, carried to a sleigh, then carried into the church; although in much pain, he enjoyed the service.
From the time of its organization the church had a rather large active membership. A Sunday-school had been organized soon after the church was built and a permanent organization was effected in 1895. In 1894 the young people organized to meet every Sunday afternoon. In January 1906 a Sunday-school and Bible institute was conducted by J. G. Royer.
J. W. Lear, the first full-time pastor in the district, was called to this church in 1902. A modern brick church was built on the site where the first church stood, and was dedi- cated by Elder I. B. Trout, April 18, 1909. A parsonage was built on the lot adjoining the church in 1915. In 1927 the church became the beneficiary of a substantial financial gift by Aaron Hufford and wife.
The church was much interested in missions, temper- ance, and relief; it endorsed the five-year forward movement on July 12, 1919. A ladies' aid was organized in 1898, and a full program of women's work as suggested by the district was undertaken in 1929. A school of missions is held annual- ly and the Sunday school and church have supported Dr. Raymond Cottrell in India for many years. There has been an active men's organization since 1934; the men farm the district-owned eighty acres, which was given to the district by Noah Greenawalt of the Cerro Gordo congregation. Much work has been done for relief: buying a carload of wheat, raising funds for the Friendship train, helping with the heifer project and general relief work.
In the Cerro Gordo church, the following were elected to the ministry: R. E. Burger, Walter Barnhart, B. F. Heckman, J. Hugh Heckman, Levi Shively, Andrew Blick-
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CERRO GORDO CHURCH
enstaff, Harry Leedy and Galen Wallick. Other resident ministers were: John Metzger, David Troxel, David Frantz, George W. Cripe, Peter Myers, Daniel Mohler, I. M. Gibson, Sophia Heitz, Robert Atchison, J. W. Lear, O. P. Haines, J. C. Brumbaugh, Walter Coffman, W. Harlan Smith, Leland Templeton and J. Elmer Wagoner.
Elders-in-charge have been: John Metzger, David Troxel, J. G. Royer, D. J. Blickenstaff, J. W. Lear, D. M. Adams, W. T. Heckman, R. H. Nicodemus, G. O. Stutsman, I. D. Heckman, W. J. Tinkle, John B. Wieand, W. Harlan Smith, Ira Hiatt and E. R. Henricks, the present elder.
Pastors have been: J. W. Lear, D. M. Adams, O. P. Haines, J. C. Brumbaugh, B. C. Whitmore, G. O. Stutsman, Walter Coffman, W. J. Tinkle, Clarence Albright, W. Harlan Smith, and Roy B. Teach since 1947.
The fortieth anniversary of the dedication of the pres- ent church was observed on June 26, 1949, with J. W. Lear, the first pastor, and a number of later pastors present.
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KASKASKIA (1886-)
The Kaskaskia church is the only organized Church of the Brethren in Fayette County; the church building is located eight miles southwest of Beecher City.
Before the time of organization, thirteen members, in- cluding Granville Nevinger, a minister, were living in the vicinity. In 1886 a protracted meeting was held by Henry Lilligh and Granville Nevinger; it resulted in fifteen bap- tisms. Under the direction of Elders Daniel Vaniman and Henry Lilligh, the Kaskaskia church was organized on September 11, 1886, with twenty-eight charter members and was placed under the care of Elder Henry Lilligh of Bond County.
An early report of this newly organized church was written by Brother Nevinger for the Gospel Messenger of January 18, 1887. It is as follows:
We, the Kaskaskia church, Illinois, held our first quarterly council meeting, Nov. 27th, 1886, and everything passed off in the fear of the Lord. The church decided to make an effort to build a plain house of worship in the near future. Elder Henry Lilligh was present. We have three regular meetings each month and from two to four special appointments each month. The first additions to the church since our organization occurred the third Sunday of this month, when a husband and wife [applied for membership] . . . Some ten inches of ice were cut and at their request, both husband and wife stepped [into the water] and remained there until each one had [been baptized]. We met in special council Dec. the 25th. We have two prayer meetings each week
In February of the following year, H. W. Strickler preached a series of meetings in a schoolhouse; but as about half of the members lived five miles to the southwest near the Hogue schoolhouse, he planned to hold similar meet- ings at that place. On June 14, 1890, a love feast was held at the farm home of Brother Nevinger; Elder Henry Lilligh assisted in holding the meetings, which continued over the
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week end, when baptism was administered. After the meet- ing on Sunday, Sister Jane Evans was anointed at her home by Elders Lilligh and Nevinger.
In 1892 David T. Wagner and wife moved into this con- gregation. He has told of arriving when the meetinghouse was nearly finished, of attending a series of meetings and of the first love feast held in this new building, when the
OLD KASKASKIA CHURCH
temporary seats were made of blocks of wood and boards. It is a matter of interest that Brother D. T. Wagner was present at every love feast held in this church building, which was in use for forty-eight years. He was elected to the ministry in 1894, ordained to the eldership in 1899, and presided as elder until 1937, but worked in the Kaskaskia church until he and his wife went to the Home at Girard in 1943.
Through the years Elder W. T. Heckman of Oakley held six different series of meetings in the Kaskaskia church, with splendid interest and with many additions to the
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church; many times the attendants more than filled the church house.
KASKASKIA CHURCH
Elders-in-charge at the Kaskaskia church have been: Henry Lilligh, 1886-1887; Granville Nevinger, 1887-1900; D. T. Wagner, 1900-1937; George W. Miller, 1938-1940; Oliver Dearing, 1941-1944; Ausby Swinger, 1945-1947; Russell Pep- ple, 1948 -.
Ministers elected in this church were James Simkins and D. T. Wagner. Part-time pastoral work was done by Oliver Dearing, Otto Baldwin and Ausby Swinger. Summer pastors were Benton Rhoades, Robert Eshelman and Frank Durand. The first work camp in our district was conducted here during the summer of Brother Durand's pastorate.
In 1940 the original church house was torn down and on the same site a new commodious church building was erected, which makes possible a larger program. Twenty acres of land near the church were purchased and a house was moved on the tract for a parsonage. The church is out
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of debt and has a prosperous outlook, with Russell Pepple as elder and pastor. The present membership is forty-five.
MARTINS CREEK (1888-)
About the year 1872, some Brethren families from Ohio and some from Timberville, Virginia, and Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, moved to Wayne County, Illinois, on Mar- tins Creek. These members were a part of the Big Creek con- gregation, now the Walnut Grove church. Elders Michael Forney and D. F. Eby met with a group of fifteen members on September 26, 1888, and organized a new congregation, to which they gave the name, Martins Creek. Charter members were Elder John Harshbarger and wife, Mr. and Mrs. Moses Barringer, Mr. and Mrs. James Mauck, Mr. and Mrs. John Mauck, Joseph Caltrider, Mr. and Mrs. Ben Stev- ens, Mr. and Mrs. John Markley and Mr. and Mrs. D. D. Markley. Elders John Harshbarger and James Thomas were their ministers, Daniel Markley and John Mauck their deacons.
At the home of John Mauck, the first love feast was held on September 7 and 8, 1889; the next love feast was held in Moses Barringer's barn in October 1890. Of this last occasion, John Mauck wrote in the Gospel Messenger of November 18, 1890: "We had representatives from five adjoining churches; six ministers were present besides our home minister, Elder John Harshbarger .... The feast was followed by a series of meetings conducted by Brother John Baker of Fulton County." He added: "The church at this place comprises only about twenty-five members. We have no church-house but expect to commence work on one soon .... " Previous to that time, on December 21, 1889, the church met in council meeting at the White Oak school-
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house and decided to build a church. Early in 1891 a church house was erected, located one and one-half mile south and
MARTINS CREEK CHURCH
one-half mile east of Jeffersonville, now known as Geff. A Sunday school was organized February 6, 1895, to be held each Sunday at the church.
Ministers elected in this church were J. W. Harshbarger in 1899 and C. A. Gruber in 1902 when the church mem- bership was fifty-one. These elders have served this church: Michael Forney, John Harshbarger, S. W. Garber, J. W. Harshbarger, Granville Nevinger, C. A. Gruber, Dow Ridge- ly, Urias Blough, and Ausby Swinger.
Urias Blough was pastor from 1930 until 1941, the time of his death. Ethel Hamerson served as pastor a short time, and at present Ausby Swinger is joint pastor of the Martins Creek and Walnut Grove churches.
For many years there have been few members, but there is a reasonable amount of activity in keeping the church house repaired and improved. The present membership is
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ten, with only two active resident members; the others are older or have moved away. The present attendance at Sun- day school is about thirty.
LITCHFIELD (1889-1896)
A few members of the Macoupin Creek church had set- tled in and near Litchfield, which became a district mission point in the 1880's. Since there was no resident minister, Elder Daniel Vaniman did most of the preaching, holding services in homes of members. Elder Vaniman reported for the Gospel Messenger of October 16, 1888:
On Sept. 30, assisted by Elder John Metzger, of Cerro Gordo, Ill., we held the first communion meeting ever held by the brethren in the city of Litchfield. Twenty-two communicants . .. two bap- tized .... But few of the quiet spectators, of whom there were more than could get into the house, had ever seen a communion held after the primitive manner before. We heard several say: "That is the way the Bible reads." The little band of members now in Litchfield seem in good spirits and full of zeal . ... They have a weekly prayer meeting and a Sunday School, and both are en- couraging . . .
In December of 1888, the Sunday school reached an at- tendance of eighty, but had to close because of not having a convenient place to meet.
On February 24, 1889, the Litchfield church was or- ganized with the following charter members: M. A. Kidwell, H. P. Parrot, J. P. Studebaker, George Etter, John Fansler, Elizabeth Etter, M. A. Harris, Hannah Parrot, Jennie Als- baugh, Louisa Eads, D. M. Kidwell and Emma Harris. Elders Daniel Vaniman and M. J. McClure met with these members and effected the organization. A deacon, J. P. Studebaker, was elected. Elder David Troxel of Cerro Gordo was chosen overseer, and arrangements were made that he should meet with them on the second Sunday of each month; G. W. Gib- son was to preach for them on the fourth Sunday.
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Through the help of the mission board of Southern Illinois, a church house was bought, of which J. P. Stude- baker wrote in the Gospel Messenger of August 13, 1889:
The little band of brethren and sisters at this place held their first quarterly council Saturday, July 13. All business passed off pleasantly. We organized a Sunday School; also decided to have a dedicatory sermon for our church-house on Sunday, Sept. 1. Meet- ings are to continue for some time. We now have a commodious house of worship in Litchfield where about two hundred can be comfortably seated.
Before the close of this same year, a two-week series of meetings was held by D. B. Gibson, with two accessions.
In March 1890 Michael Flory preached for them on the fourth Sundays of January and February, and found there "quite a live church of about twenty-five members. All this has been accomplished through mission work in less than three years."1 Social meetings were held on Fri- day evenings or on Sunday afternoons at the homes of the members. In September, just before leaving for California, Elder John Metzger paid them a farewell visit. The district meeting minutes of 1890 report for the year eleven baptisms and a membership of thirty with an average attendance at Sunday school of fifty-eight. In 1892 Javan Gibson suc- ceeded David Troxel as elder-in-charge.
The work prospered for some years, then came some discouragements. This report was sent to the district meet- ing of 1893: "Litchfield church was disorganized by their unanimous consent, and its members were attached to the Macoupin Creek church."
In later records we find that the Macoupin Creek church and the district mission board carried on the work jointly for a number of years. D. B. Gibson wrote in the Gospel Messenger of April 23, 1895: "Am in the midst of a glorious meeting. Seven accessions . . ." Brother B. E. Kessler was located in Litchfield by the mission board and for ten
1 Gospel Messenger, July 15, 1890
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months of 1896 worked there. Strong and repeated efforts were made by the Macoupin Creek church to revive the work, but without permanent success.
ROMINE (1892-)
The main part of the work of the Salem church was carried on five miles southeast of Salem, at the present site of the Romine church; so the early history of the Ro- mine church until 1892 is contained in the account of the Salem church. When the territory of the Salem church was divided in 1892, the part east of Salem was called Romine and the members continued to worship in the original Salem church house. This congregation with a membership of thirty-one was placed under the charge of Elder Menno
ROMINE CHURCH
Stauffer. Two years before this, S. S. Fouts had been elected to the ministry and continued as the resident minister.
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Later elders-in-charge were: Michael Flory, Granville Nevinger, D. T. Wagner, Urias Blough, C. A. Lewis, G. W. Miller, Oliver Dearing, and Ausby Swinger.
About 1938 church attendance was small with but little interest. Oliver Dearing held a series of meetings with sev- eral accessions. He organized a young people's group which became active and influential in helping to build up the church. In 1940 Joseph Campbell was called to the min- istry and was ordained two years later; it was largely through his efforts that considerable remodeling was done on the church building. The church, with its new base- ment and improvements, was rededicated by W. T. Heck- man in September 1942.
There is an active women's organization, and the young people help with the church program and finances.
BEMENT (1895-1908)
The Bement church was located in the town of Bement, near the center of Piatt County. The first mention of the Bement church in district meeting minutes appears in 1895. There were then twenty members, one of whom was a min- ister, and Menno Stauffer was the elder-in-charge. Bement had a church house which had been purchased-lot and house-from the Catholics; it was remodeled and regular services were held in it for a time. Evangelistic meetings were held by I. M. Gibson and others. The maximum mem- bership was twenty. The following elders were in charge: Menno Stauffer, John Arnold, John Barnhart and S. Heitz. At the recommendation of the last-named, a committee was appointed by district meeting of 1907 to visit the members of the Bement church and disorganize it. The committee, composed of D. J. Blickenstaff, John Arnold, and Michael
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Flory, met the members in the home of Sister Ann Siders and granted letters of transfer to them.
DECATUR (1911-)
The beginning of the work of the Church of the Breth- ren in Decatur dates from 1895, when the Annual Confer- ence was held there on the grounds now occupied by Mil- likin University. I. B. Trout held a week's meetings just before the Conference and one was baptized, most likely the first resident member in Decatur. Brother I. J. Rosen- berger held meetings for two weeks immediately following the Conference. At the close of these meetings there were fourteen who had united with the church since the begin- ning of the Conference.1 The district mission board ac- cepted Decatur as a mission point; a Sunday school was organized and preaching services were held every two weeks. Since most of the Decatur territory was in the Okaw (now La Place) district, ministers from the Okaw church held meetings in the homes of the members; later, meetings were held in different rented halls. Brother D. B. Gibson of Milmine held a series of meetings, with about a dozen accessions.
In 1901 Mattie Nickey and Mae Edgecomb assisted in the mission work. In 1902 Elder S. W. Garber with his family of active members moved to Decatur from the Alli- son Prairie church. Brother Garber engaged in the grocery business, but helped much in building up the work of the church and the Sunday school. The aid society was organ- ized in 1905. By 1907 the membership had increased to about fifty, and Elder Michael Flory was secured as pastor.
The district mission board and the Okaw church worked together toward building a church, which was erected at
1 Report of William Landis in the Gospel Messenger, July 30, 1895
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the corner of Warren Street and Grand Avenue. It was dedi- cated on November 8, 1908, by J. W. Lear.
DECATUR CHURCH
Early in 1911 the Decatur church was organized with eighty-four members and with George W. Miller as elder- in-charge. Brother J. W. Lear came as pastor in 1911 and remained until 1919. He was followed by J. W. Grater, S. S. Blough, Bennett Stutsman, J. Q. Goughnour, N. H. Miller, Grant McGuire, John B. Wieand and Wilbur Bantz. Other resident ministers were Henry Lilligh, Roy Brady, O. G. Davis, Clarence Albright, Sylvan Arnold, Fred Eagle- ton, Henry Dubes, Carl Lauer and Ralph Finnell.
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