USA > Illinois > Shelby County > Combined history of Shelby and Moultrie Counties, Illinois : with illustrations descriptive of their scenery and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers > Part 38
USA > Illinois > Moultrie County > Combined history of Shelby and Moultrie Counties, Illinois : with illustrations descriptive of their scenery and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers > Part 38
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HISTORY OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
and sinking in the very sight of the harbor, after a long, weary, and stormy voyage.
But the universal sentiment of the members was, that they could not give up the long desired object. The Ladies' Sewing Circle connected with the congregation had already contributed one hundred dollars as an offering which was the fruit of their pious and untiring labors. With evident solemn feeling, they now doubled their subscription. Mr. Thornton, knowing the slenderness of their resources, and the costliness to them of the sacrifice which they had made, offered to pay the money, and trust the Society a year for it, charging no interest. Dr. Hobart offered to lend them the money for the same time. They declined both propositions. The people had now almost reached the goal of their hopes. In this exigency, Mr. Thornton, in their name, pledged himself for the balance, and filled the hearts of the people with the liveliest joy. Most fervent thanks were expressed to Mrs. Thornton, to Dr. Hobart, to Mr. Thornton, and to all who had aided in bringing the church out of debt.
The subscriptions made were promptly paid, and thus the church was frecd from debt in a day. After some time, efforts to procure a pastor were renewed. At first, these were not successful ; but after a time, a call was voted to Rev. William M. Barker. This was in the autumn of 1880. After some delay, he accepted the proffered charge, and entered on his work. The church is united and fervent in the prayer, that his labors among them will prove effectua! and useful in a very high degree.
Dr. I. A. Sumpkin is clerk of the church. Gabriel W. Abell is Superintendent of the Sunday-School. The church is pursuing the even tenor of her way, enjoying on the road the comforts of faith.
Moawequa Church .- This church is located in the town of Moa- wequa, in the north-western part of the county. It reports 166 members, and enjoyed for several years the acceptable and efficient labors of Rev. W. C. Roach, as preacher and pastor. For a con- siderable time Mr. Roach ministered to the two churches, at Moa- wequa and at Assumption, in Christian county, respectively ; but in 1877 the Moawequa church, realizing the grave importance of having the exclusive labors of an efficient minister, persuaded him to relinquish his charge at Assumption, and give himself wholly to the church at Moawcqua. With characteristic devotion, he plied his work at the latter place, but has since resigned, and the church is left without a pastor.
Moawequa is located on the Illinois Central Railroad, about 25 miles from Shelbyville by the highway, 33 miles by railroad, and 114 miles from St. Louis. At last accounts, R. I. Smith was the clerk of the church.
Stewardson Church .- Stewardson is situated 16 miles south-east of Shelbyville by the common highway, and 20 by railroad. The town, which lics on the Chicago and Paducah Railroad, is of recent origin, and is rapidly increasing in population, business, and im- portance. The Baptist Church in this place originated about the year 1875, in a very common manner. A prominent citizen, Mr. S. B. Fisk, one of the early settlers, had removed to the place from one of our cities. In his former place of living, himself and family had been accustomed to the weekly enjoyment of attendance on the services of the sanctuary. At their new abode they found them- selves destitute of these privileges. They felt the privation to be a severe one. Very naturally and justly, Mr. Fisk applied himself to remove the trouble at the earliest possible day. There was not a male citizen of his faith in the village in which he lived ; but, being by occupation a farmer, he found three or four families in the ad- joining districts who were engaged in his own primitive secular calling, and who were Baptists. In the village, also, a few of Bap-
tist sentiments were found. After a moderate time, the Baptists were enabled to secure the occasional ministrations of a public ser- vant of Christ, of their own faith and order. In the early winter of 1877, Rev. D. P. French, a right zealous and efficient minister, niissionary of the Illinois Baptist Association for the southern sec- tion of the state, visited the place, and commenced and sustained a protracted meeting with the little church that had been constituted. It is pertinent to mention that before and after this period the con- gregation had enjoyed the occasional labors of Rev. Mr. Griffith, a truly faithful and evangelical clergyman, living near Strasburg. Rev. J. H. Phillips, pastor at Shelbyville church, had also assisted them by preaching for them, and by procuring aid in building their house of worship. In addition to these Rev. I. N. Hobart, D. . D., superintendent of missions of the General Association of Illinois, visited them, labored for them, and gave them most effectual aid in both spiritual and temporal matters. The singular inclemency of the weather, the bad condition of the roads, the great difficulty of procuring preachers at the time, with other causes, united to prevent any considerable visible success of the protracted meeting referred to above. The writer prcached on four successive dark and stormy nights at the meeting, when he was obliged to leave, owing to prior engagements. The people gave good attendance, and eager atten- tion, despite the storm, the mud, the darkness, and the cold. A year afterwards, through the intervention of Rev. Dr. Hobart, Rev. H. W. Wilson was sustained as a missionary of the General Asso- ciation at Stewardson for several months. He labored zealously, held a protracted meeting, was prospered in his work, and received a good number into the church by baptism. At present the church has a good pastor in the person of Rev. J. H. Phillips of Shelby- ville. In 1877 they built a neat, substantial and commodious house of worship, their own liberal efforts to build a house for the Lord having been supplemented by the generous aid of friends outside the limits of the congregation. The number of members is reported to be about 50.
SEPARATE BAPTISTS.
The churches at Shelbyville, Moawequa and Stewardson, of whom sketches have now been given, belong to the class which is often called, for the sake of distinction, Missionary Baptists. With the possible exception of the Methodists, reckoning the northern and southern divisions of that people as one, they are far more nume- rous than the communicants of any other church in the United States. In addition to these, there are in the county a considerable number of Baptists bearing other distinctive names, as the Separate Baptists, the United Baptists, and the Primitive Baptists.
In 1879 the Separate Baptists, at the meeting of the Association held at the Bethel Church, Christian county, reported eight churches in this county, as follows :
Union .- N. Corley, pastor. Fourteen members. Post office,
Shelbyville.
Fellowship .- E. O. King, clerk, Beck's creek. Forty-five mem- bers.
Providence -N. Neil, clerk, Tower Hill. Sixty-two members. Rev. S. B. N. Vaughan, of Decatur, is the worthy pastor.
Okaw .- J. P. Hudson, pastor. D. M. Hudson, clerk, Shelby- ville. Thirty-six members.
New Hope No. 1 .- C. P. Roberts, pastor, Lakewood. Sixty-six members.
New Hope No. 2 .- William Barton, clerk, Shelbyville.
Little Flock .- Fifteen miles north-west of Shelbyville. Twelve members. Rev. Barnett Smock is pastor. Post-office, Assumption, Christian Co.
Little Flock -S. R. Throne, pastor, Robinson crcek.
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HISTORY OF SHELBY AND. MOULTRIE COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
UNITED BAPTISTS.
The eliurehes of this order in the county are stated to have been gathered aud organized in great part by the labors of Rev. Nathan Corley. I am unable to present their statisties.
PRIMITIVE BAPTISTS.
Of this worthy people, also, I have almost no information. A ehureh of this order exists four or five miles from Moawequa.
OLD SCHOOL BAPTIST CHURCH.
Union Church, in Penn township, is the only denomination of this order in Shelby county; situated a few miles east of Moawequa. It has about fifty members, with Rev. Benjamin Maher as pastor, whose home is near Vandalia, Fayette county. Nearly forty years ago there existed a church of this denomination about three miles from Shelbyville; but their pastor dicd, and the society beeame scattered, and soon passed out of sight. Rev Mr. Gordon was their minister, and a very worthy and useful man it is said by those who knew him best.
SEPARATE BAPTISTS.
This church was first organized near Tower Hill in 1832 by the Rev. Newton Coffey. Rev. Willis Whitfield was for many years a zealous worker for the eause in the county.
THE CONGREGATIONAL OR LIBERAL CHRISTIAN CHURCHES OF SHELBY COUNTY.
BY MRS. EMILY L. DOUTHIT.
There are only four of these congregatious, and they have all been organized within the last twelve years. Their origin and his- tory are so inseparably eonneeted with the life of the present pastor that, in giving an account of their rise and history, some brief per- sonal allusions may not be out of place. Jasper L. Douthit is a native of this eounty, and his mother was a native of the state. She was born in a fort in Franklin county, Ills., and came to this eounty with her father, Francis Jordan, about the year 1828, when the Indians still roamed these prairies and lighted their eamp-fires. His father, Andrew E. Douthit, emigrated from East Tennessee with his parents iu 1832. The Regular Predestinarian Baptists, known as " Hardshell," were the principal seet in the eastern part of the county then. For the first sixteen years of his life J. L. Douthit seareely ever heard any other kind of Gospel, exeepting an oeeasional discourse from the Diseiples, commonly called Camp- bellitcs. His mother being a devoted Christian and member of the " Hardshell " Baptist Church, he wished to believe and live in chureh fellowship with her. But the more he thought upon the subjeet, the more he found it impossible for him to believe the doe- trine ; neither eould he in good conseience unite with any of the ehurehes in the vicinity. He was beset with doubts and misgiv- ings, and began to suspeet that all seets were more or less in error. He longed for the fellowship of Christians, but felt that they im- posed burdens of creeds contrary to the Gospel. From his earliest reeolleetions lie was longing to find some Christian people who would receive members into their fellowship on the simple basis of a solemnly avowed purpose to be good, to get good, aud do good, without subseribing to any ereeds that were difficult to understand or believe. This longiug desire for a larger and simpler Christian fellowship, which resulted in his taking the lead in the formation of these soeieties, seems to have been born with him and prompted not of his or any human will. As this longing inereased, a thirst for knowledge and greater usefulness also inereased, until at the
age of seventeen Mr. Douthit left liome to attend the Shelby Semi- nary. While couneeted with this institution he was induced to unite with the Methodist Episcopal Church, though with some pro- . test, and not fully assenting to the Articles of Faith of said chureh. Iu 1857 he was married to Miss Emily Lovell, of Abington, Mass. About the year 1860, being twenty-six years old, and still dissatis- fied with all the ehurehes around him, and knowing no people in the world who would receive him into their fellowship on the basis he desired, he began without the sanction or authority of any body of believers, to speak out in public what he believed, and to declare against slavery of body and against slavery of mind and soul.
Receiving little sympathy in his opinions, and meeting with mueh opposition, he yearned more than ever for a closer Christian fellowship. He aeeordingly, in 1861, wrote a letter to Rev. T. W. Higginson, of Worcester, Mass., who he supposed from what he had read and heard of him, belonged to an independent and liberal church. Mr. Higginson responded very kindly, informing the in- quirer of the existence of just sueh a body of people as he had been longing to meet for so many years. For further information, Mr. Higginson referred him, amoug others, to Rev. Robert Collyer of the Second Unitarian Society of Chicago. Through Mr. Collyer, Mr. Douthit was led to attend the Western Unitarian Conference, held at Detroit, Mieh., and there, June 22d, 1862, he was formally ordained to the Christian Ministry ; Revs. M. D. Conway, now of Loudon, C. G. Ames, T. J. Mumford, Geo. W. Hosmer, D. D., Rev. Robert Collyer and others taking part in the ordination serviee. The newly-ordained minister, with fresh eourage, returned to his birthplace and continued to preach in sehool-houses, groves, and private houses, wherever he could get a hearing. His wateh words were : Union, Liberty, Charity and Progress in Civil Government and in Religion. But the storm of eivil war beat heavily, and ab- sorbed all other interests, and the Unitarian preaeher made slow progress. Greatly needing a better preparation for the ministry, by the direction and assistance of generous brethren and friends, he was led to take a course of three years iustruetion in the Theologi- eal Seminary at Meadville, Pa .. graduating from this school in June, 1867. After a brief ministry at Princeton, Ill., with some people to whom the Hon. Owen Lovejoy had onee been pastor, Mr. Douthit could not resist the impulses to resume his labors in the region of his birth. There was no church to extend him a eall, give him weleome, or promise a salary. He had no ineome, and there was no assurance of support for himself and family, cxeept- ing what he might make by eultivating a little farm, and his wife earn by teaching a subseription sehool. Aid had been given here- tofore by Unitarian Missionary Societies, but as he had taken this step contrary to the advice and wishes of friends who had influenee with these soeieties, he could not now hope for further aid. How- ever, it was not long before the American Unitarian Association of Boston, Mass., made an appropriation for his partial support, which has never sinee been entirely wanting.
The first preaehiug in 1867-8-9 was mostly at Log Church, (an old building, three and a half miles east of Shelbyville, and first ereeted for the use of Predestinarian Baptists) and at Salem Sehool- house, about three miles south of Log Church, and near the resi- denee of Mr. Jacob Sittler. The only material aid that the preacher received the first year from those with whom he labored in the Gospel, was one big jug of sorghum molasses, and this was given by a foreigner who had been reared to the eustom of support- ing religious institutions. The Baptists who had mostly oeeupied this ground after the Indians left, believed that all missionary effort was of the devil, and that it was wrong to educate a mau and pay him for preaching the Gospel. Of course sueh teaching was
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HISTORY OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
not without its influence on the old settlers and natives who were not Baptists. The next year, 1868, the local contributions reached about ten dollars. In this year a large Sunday-school was organ- ized at Log Church and did good work, notwithstanding some bitter opposition and riotous disturbances. The Boston Sunday School Society and other friends in the East donated one hundred and fifty or more volumes of valuable books for the Sunday-school library. Some were suspicious of all books from Boston, and were opposed to receiving this donation. However a public meeting was called, a vote was taken, and the books were thankfully rc- ceived by a vote of forty-two to twelve, several not voting. The books were by such authors as Miss Sedgwick, Mrs. Childs, T. S. Arthur, and Fanny Gage; and were eagerly read and did much toward improving the manners and morals of the neighborhood. Horse racing and card playing were less frequent on Sunday, and the dram shops grew less popular and began to feel the penalty of violating the law. The keepers and some of the customers were enraged so that the Superintendent of the Sunday-school was assaulted one Sunday while the school was in session. But it all worked together to create a greater interest in the work begun. Elder John Ellis, a liberal preacher of the "Christians," rendered Mr. Douthit efficient service during this year.
Oak Grove Church of Liberal Christians .- On Sunday, June 1st, 1868, Salem, (now Oak Grove), church of Liberal Christians was organized by the following persons making a public confession of the Christian faith, and covenanting together in church fellowship ; namely ; Jacob Sittler and his wife, Sidney ; Wm. G. Buckley and his wife, Martha J .; Mr. Beverly Milligan, George W. Douthit, Jasper L. Douthit and his wife, Emily L. This first congregational church covenant was entered into at the old Salem School-House. The weather being pleasant, and the house being too small to ac- commodate all present, the service was held out of doors, in the shade of an old clin tree, since cut down. Elder John Ellis preached the sermon on the occasion, and formally welcomed the little company to the Christian brotherhood. On Monday, July 6th, 1868, a meeting was held near the Griffith graveyard about three and a half miles south-east of Shelbyville. This meeting was held in the woods on the spot where in early days a log school- house stood. Dr. A. L. Kellar of Shelbyville and J. L. Douthit being present, stated that it was proposed to erect a house of wor- ship there, to be held jointly for the use of the Liberal Christians and " Christian," (Campbellite) congregations, said house to be free to all other Christian people when not used by either of these two congregations. Jacob Sittler, in addition to subscribing liberally volunteered to superintend the carpenter's work. On Monday, the 16th of November, the trustees met on the ground and decided to begin to build. A deed to the site was given by Edwin Martin. The people who could not give money had a mind to work, and the building was completed in time for dedication, September 29th, 1870. Robert Collyer, of Unity Church, Chicago, was present, and preached an cloquent sermon, which will long be remembered by those who heard it. The first trustees of this building were Jeremiah Southers, John C. Coconower, Jacob Sit- tler, and J. L. Douthit.
On January 16, 1870, at a meeting held in the unfinished Oak Grove chapel, the declaration of faith, covenant and constitution of the Liberal Christian Church of Shelbyville township, Shelby county, Illinois, was adopted. The following are extracts from the declaration and covenant :-
" We believe that all duty is embraced in the following precepts of Jesus : ' All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them.' 'Thou shalt love the Lord thy 18
God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind, and thy neighbor as thyself.' * *
"Our only test of fellowship shall be Christian character-‘ By their fruits ye shall know them'-therefore, any one evincing an earnest purpose to lead a pure and upright life before God and man, may become a member of this church by signing its covenant and constitution,-' for in every nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousness, is accepted with Him,' and shall be with us. X *
'. We covenant with one another, and we bind ourselves in the presence of God to walk together in all His ways according to the best of our knowledge and ability. * * * * *
" We promise to remember niercy and do justly to all, not deal- ing oppressingly or cruelly with any one. We resolve to be tem- perate in all things ; diligent in business ; ' fervent in spirit; serving the Lord' in our special avocation3,-shunning idleness as the bane of any people or state. We promise to give of our substance as God prospers us for the benefit of the poor and needy, and for such other purposes as have for their object the spreading of the gospel and the upbuilding of God's kingdom of righteousness on earth. We promise to walk with our brethren with all watchfulness and tenderness, avoiding jealousies and suspicions, censurings, pro- vokings, secret risings of the spirit against them ; but in. all of- fences to follow the rule of our Master and to bear and forbear, give and forgive, as He has taught us. All this we sincerely promise to try to be and to do; and while remembering that we arc weak, and that to err is human, we are resolved, by the help of God, as often as we do in any way fail and fall, we will arise and try again."
This covenant is mostly in the words of the covenant of the first church organized in the colony of Massachusetts Bay, at Salem, in 1629, two hundred and fifty-one years ago. That old covenant was drawn up by Rev. Francis Higginson, the pastor, who was one of the first ministers ordained in New England, and the ancestor of Col. T. W. Higginson. The latter, in alluding to this covenant. calls it "Puritanism's original declaration of independence in America," and well says that " it proves the essential greatness of the founders of New England society that those who claim to hold the most advanced outposts of thought have got so little beyond even the letter of this covenant, and not at all beyond its spirit."
Over sixty members have entered into this church covenant at Oak Grove, but part of these have moved away, and part of them have transferred their membership to the First Congregational Church in Shelbyville.
Christian Union Church, near Mode .- In April, 1872, an attempt was made to raise funds to build a house of worship at the grave- yard between Jacob Elliott's residence and the village of Mode. But the attempt failed, because by the terms of subscription to the building fund, the house was to be only open to all orthodox and evangelical Christians when not used by the German Reformcd Church. The people had got their eyes open to the fact that the hold- ers of church property on such conditions claimed the right to ex- clude the Unitarians and any others whom they had a mind to judge as not orthodox. Only a small sum was subscribed on this plan, when it was abandoned and a subscription started which made the church open to all Christian people when not used by that religious society, which should take care to keep the building in order and repair. Mr. Thaddeus Elliott most diligently solicited funds on this plan, and very soon about $1,500 was pledged. The stone foundation of the church was laid in 1872. J. H. Worley did the stone work and John Rnot & Bros. the carpentering work. " Granny " Elliott, the aged wife of Jacob Elliott, with her own
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HISTORY OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
hands, generously cooked for the workmen. She has since gone to her reward. Many others lent a hand, so that the edifice, capable of seating five hundred or more persons, was neatly finished, and dedicated July 20th, 1873. Robert Collyer preached the sermon, and was assisted in the services by Rev. William Boone, of the M. E. Church, Mr. Robert Tyson and J. L. Douthit. In 1874 an In- dependent Christian congregation was organized here. The Rev. James F. Brown is identified with this congregation. He was ordained to the Christian ministry at a Conference of the Frater- nity of Liberal Religious Societies of Illinois, held in Shelbyville April, 1877, with Rev. John H. Heywood, of. Louisville, Ky., pre- siding. Mr. Brown occasionally preaches to congregations in the vicinity of Mode, the village of his home, though he is prevented by physical disability from very active duties. The trustces of this Christian Union Church are Jacob Elliott, Abraham Gollagher, John Warner and George Williams.
The Log Church Society .- The Log Church above mentioned, was first built for the " Hardshell" Baptists, and stood near where Thomas Dobins now lives. It was removed to the present place to make room for the Indianapolis and St. Louis railroad. It became the school-house for Liberty school district until the district became so populous that two school-houses were required, and then, ceasing to be used for public school purposes, by the terms of the original deed the property reverted to Mr. Thomas Rice. Mr. Rice was of the Roman Catholic faith, but seeing the good that the house had done, and there being no other to accommodate the religious interests of the neighborhood, he determined that it should continue to be held for that purpose. On January 4, 1871, Mr. Rice gave a deed for the property to the following persons and their heirs forever namely :- Bayless M. Davis, Levi N. Douthit, Christian Peterson and Jasper L. Douthit ; said parties of the second part to have and to hold the same in trust, " for the use of the religious societies of the neighborhood." A Sunday-school is kept here during part of the year, and Mr. Douthit preaches here frequently. No other religious body uses the house regularly.
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