History of Madison County, Illinois With biographical sketches, Part 83

Author: Brink, W.R. & Co
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Edwardsville, Ill. : W. R. Brink & co.
Number of Pages: 698

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year. In 1872, he renewed the resignation, which was ac- ceptcd.

A very brief sketch of his life is all that the alloted space will allow. Mr. Logan was born in Limestone county. Ala., December 18, 1820. In early life he went with his parents to East Tennessee, where he lived till early manhood. While quite young he was the subject of deep and pungent convictions upon the subject of religion. In his seven- teenth year he became a candidate for the ministry, and in a year or two thereafter was licensed and then ordained. Leaving Tennessee, his parents removed to southwest Mis- souri, where his father died. In April, 1852, at the advice of friends, he started the Missouri Cumberland Presbyterian, in Lexington, Mo. After about one year the paper was re- moved to St. Louis, and from there, in the winter of 1855- 56, to Alton, Ill. In May, 1857, he sold out to A. F. Cox, who was publishing a paper in Louisville, Ky. Soon after he, in conjunction with Rev. W. W. Brown, bought the Ladies' Pearl, and published it in Alton till stopped by the war in 1861. In June 1862, he started the Western Cumberland Presbyterian, which he published till 1866, when | he sold the list and material to Mr. T. H. Perrin, retaining the editorship. In 1868, Rev. J. R. Brown bought a half interest. Mr. Logan then bought the list of the Cumber- land Presbyterian, published in Pennsylvania, and the two lists were united, Mr. Logan being one of the editors of the consolidated paper, which bore the last named ti le. Soon after he sold out all right and title to the paper. In 1875, the Cumberland Presbyterian having been bought by the Board of Publication and removed to Nashville, Tenn., Mr. Logan and T. H. Perrin started a little monthly called Our Faith, which they continued to issue until the St. Louis Observer, a weekly, started from St. Louis, bought the list.

Besides these things he was connected with the Board of Missions for many years, holding the offices of President and Secretary. He also issued several works of a doctrinal and historical character. After five years of pastoral labor at Taylorsville, Ill., on the 14th of September, 1878, not quite 58 years of age, he " fell asleep." His body lies in the Alton cemetery. The ministers who followed Mr. Logan at Alton were Revs. J. T. May, J. W. Blosser, J. HI. Hendrick, E. B. Crisman, D. D., W. B. Farr and M. Lowe.

In 1863 the General Assembly appointed a missionary committee at Alton to do the work for the churches in the north, which the board of missions at Lebanon, Tenn , could not do on account of the war. The committee consisted of eleven members. In 1865 the General Assembly converted this committee into a board of missions, of which Mr. Logan was elected president. For four years this Board continued, caring as best it could for the missions under it. While the men composing it held opposite views in regard to the issnes of the war, these views never found their way into the counsels of the Board. The interest and information on this subject prevalent over the northern states may be due, in no small degree, to its work. In 1869 the General Assem- bly consolidated the two missionary boards, locating the new board at St. Louis, where it remains to-day.

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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.

BETIIALTO

Congregation was organized by Rev. J. B. Logan and H. M. E.gan, on the 23d of April, 1866, in the Bethel school-house, with twenty-seven members. The original Elders were: D H. Starkey and J. A Miller. The first deacous were: Joe H. Gadd and E. C. Long. Rev. H. M. Eagan was secured as their minister, and the congregation soon after their organization began the erection of a house of worship. A lot was secured, upon which a neat brick church was built, at a cost of $4,000. The house was finished in the fall, and soon thereafter Mr. Eagan ceased his ministrations. He was a warm-hearted, zealous Chris- tian gentleman, and the society flourished under his care. Their memory of him is fresh to-day. At the time he lived at Alton, and was secretary of the board of missions located there. After a long and useful life he is now spending his old age in WashingtonTerritory, loved by all who know him.

Rev. Thomas Potter was secured to preach for them for one year for $1,000. At the end of the year he severed connection. Efforts were made to secure the services of Rev. J. R. Brown, but without success Rev. J. R. Madden offered to supply them one-half his time; but before they decided he took other work. At the fall session of 1869, Presbytery ordered Rev. T. W. McDavid to supply the congregation for six months. At the spring session of 1870, Rev. William Turner arranged to supply them in connection with Omph-Ghent congr gation. For two years he served them, and then they were again without a minister. During all these years the congregation had been increasing in members and influence. In the fall of 1873, F. H. Culley, a licentiate, a young man of pleasing address, became supply to them. He remained for at least a year, and then entered the halls of Lincoln University. Disgrace overtook him and he fled. He was subsequently deposed from the ministry by Vandalia Presbytery. Dark days followed. A shock had been given to the society from which it seemed they would not rally. They had no minister for some time, and became somewhat discouraged. Rev E. B. Crisman, moving into the village preached for them occasionally, although he was not regularly employed. After his departure, the little band had no one to minister to their spiritual needs. In the spring of 1879, W. C. Logan, a young man just licensed to preach, supplied them for a few months upon alternate Sabbaths. In June, or July he left, having been called to a church in Indiana. They dragged along as best they could until June, 1880, when Rev. W. T. Baker was secured to supply them for a time. In the spring of 1881, Rev. D. H. Starkey, who had been a charter member and also a ruling elder in the congregation, engaged to supply them half his time. Since then they have had regular services. The frequent changes made, and the long intervals when they had no minister, have worked greatly to the disadvantage of the congregation. But a few of the persevering ones held on, and now there is a better prospect before them than there has been for many years. They have an interesting Sabbath school. which meets cach Sabbath morning, and sustains a teachers' meeting in connection therewith. Although not

strong, they are prompt to pay their minister, and are hope- ful for the future.

This brief sketch is by no means perfect. Material for an accurate account was not at hand, and the lack of time forbade any extensive search. It will serve, however, to show the reader something of what has been done by this particular branch of the great Vine. It has in the county, four organizations, five church-houses, all in good condition with, perhaps, one exception ; all supplied statedly with the means of grace and a membership of five hundred (more or less). There was an organization effected in the American Bottom, but it did not attain much permanency, and is now out of existence.

CHURCH OF THE REDEEMER, CONGREGA- TIONAL, OF ALTON.

BY REV. E. G. CIIADDOCK.

The beginning of the movement that resulted in the or- ganization of the church, was the organizing of a Sunday school in the spring of 1858, under the auspices of the Young Men's Christian Association. The first place of meet- ing was the German Methodist church with an attendance of nine pupils. But there was in it a spirit of aggressiveness and there followed a period of rapid growth. Before the close of the year it numbered over a hundred pupils. Several changes of location followed, but notwithstanding, the school continued to prosper not only increasing in number but becoming instrumental in the conversion of many who were added to the several churches of the city. And as no conveniently located hall could be secured, it was finally determined to build, and thus secure a permanent house for the school. In 1868 the main building of that now used for a church was erected. The school at that time numbered more than three hundred pupils, and had taken its place among the more efficient moral and spiritual forces of the city.

There had been in the Presbyterian church of Alton, from its beginning, many whose early training had been Congre- gational and the propriety of organizing a Congregational church had from time to time been a subject of considera- tion ou the part of some of them. On the evening of June 3d, 1870, a preliminary meeting was held at the house of Mr. T. T. Lewis, fifteen persons were present. It was made a subject of prayer, and after a season of devotion, there was a general and free discussion of the propriety of organizing, and all were found to favor it.

A committee was appointed consisting of Samuel Wade, James Newman and John Atwood to pre- pare a statement setting forth the reasons and motives that actuated them in the movement. On the 10th of June this committee gave the following report :

"Seeing in the present prosperity and large membership of the church with which we stand connected, (the Presby- terian), indications of God's providence pointing to this as a

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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.

time to colonize, we, the undersigned, while grateful for a place in its fold so long, and with most fraternal feelings to- ward all its members, do rejoice to unite in our efforts to build up another church of God of such polity as we think most scriptural and best adapted to utilize, and bring out the working force of individual Christians. Looking to the Great Head of the Church for guidance in our Christian work for the salvation of souls and for our growth in grace, we do hereby pledge each to the other our hearty co-opera- tions in prayers, in efforts and in suffering if need be, to plant an organization which shall hold forth the word of Life to souls that are perishing."

This statement was adopted and signed by all present.

On the 29th of July following, The Church of the Re- deemer, of Alton, was duly organized with 48 members. Rev. H. D. Platt, of Brighton, Illinois, presiding. Thirty of this number had letters from the Presbyterian church of Alton. Seventeen had letters from other churches of Alton, and from churches out of the city, and one was received by profession of faith. Soon after eleven more came from the Presbyterian church. A call was immediately extended to Rev. M. K. Whittlesey of Ottawa, Illinois, to become pas- tor of the new church and was accepted. At a meeting held August 27th, a manual was adopted and officers were elect- cd. Oct. 18th, a council convened to recognize the church and install its pastor. Shortly after the action of this coun- cil the church and its pastor were admitted to the Southern Association of Illinois. Very soon the church was to have the chastening which the Word declares shall be given to true children. This came in the loss by death of several of those who had been most active in connection with the organiza- tion of the church. During the first year of its history, four were called away and their loss was most seriously felt, but a very considerable number were also added, chiefly by pro- fession and the church had abundant reason to believe it had the Master's approbation in its work.

The pastorate of Rev. M. K. Whittlesey continued two years, and he was then dismissed by advice of council that he might take the more responsible position of superintendant of Missions for the southern part of Illinois.

In December of the same year the church called Rev. Robert West, of Ludlow, Ky , and he began his labors Feb- ruary, 1873. During this same year additions and repairs were made upon the church building, and one of Hook's most excellent organs was placed in the church, a gift from Samuel Wade. During the winter following the church was greatly revived and received a large accession to its membership. Rev. Robert West was installed pastor of the church, April 29th, 1874, and resigned his pastorate in the autumn of 1876. The church declined to accept it, but he urged the acceptance and the church finally yielded, and his labors closed Oct. 12th, 1876, when Mr. West became superintendant of Missions for the State of Missouri.

The church had no pastor until March 1st, 1877, when Rev. Geo. C. Adams, of Hillsboro, received a call and began bis work. He was installed Sep 28th, 1877, and was dis- missed by council on his resignation, April 20th, 1881. During his pastorate a fine parsonage was built and paid for, 42

with the exception of one thousand dollars the land having been a gift of Arba Nelson, one of the members who united with the church at its organization, but who died soon after. Mr. Nelson had planned liberal things for the church, and had he lived would have done much for its spiritual and financial prosperty.

During the pastorate of Mr. Adams a very considerable increase in membership was made and it was a period of general prosperity with the church. He left to take charge of a new and promising interest in St. Louis, where he is at this time located.

On the 17th of July, 1881, a call was extended to Rev. E. G. Chaddock, of Michigan, and he began his labors the 1st of September, 1881 ; since that time eleven have united with the church, mostly by profession, and arrangements have been nearly completed to pay off the parsonage debt, only one hundred dollars now being needed to have the church clear from debt. The church is united and pros- perous, with a flourishing Sunday-school, and a good congre- gation. The whole number received into the church since its organization is 199 ; of these 100 have been received by profession. The present membership is 147.

LUTHERAN CHURCH.

BY REV. W W. WILKEN.

The fundamental laws of the United States guarantee perfect religious liberty to all -- or, to use the words of Fred- erick the Great-allow all to seek their way to heavenly bliss on their own confession of faith. The German Protest- ant Church has thriven and prospered under those laws of liberty. The church had, however, to encounter many difficulties and overcome them, before it gained the inde- pendent position it now generally enjoys It is proper to state here that the liberal and' material aid extended by the native Americans with a ready and willing hand, has been the means of overcoming the pecuniary difficulties of the beginning. Other and graver ones, however, had yet to be met and conquered ; and this was a difficult task to be per- formed by prudent and cautious clergymen, who had to act as mediators among heterogeneous elements. This was not always done, or, perhaps, injudiciously done, and hence we do meet here and there German Protestant congregations with the worm of discord in their vitals. In almost all cases these troubles may be traced to errors and blunders of hasty and inconsiderate preachers.

One should bear in mind that the German churches recruit themselves from immigrants from all parts of Germany and Switzerland, and that these people, in many instances, differ widely in their confessions of faith. It was a herculean task to be performed by the leading members. The most violent and stubborn contradictions had to be met, and abrupt lines of division to be obliterated, in order to form and crystalize the heterogeneous elements of Catholics, Lu- therans, Calvinists, Presbyterians, Methodists, Trinitarians

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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.

and Unitarians into a homogeneous congregation, the mem- bers of which should not longer quarrel about dogmatical differences, but excel one another in faith and works of love. Faith and love ! It is through them that the founder of our religion will enter our hearts, for He dwelleth not in a confession of faith pronounced by the lip, but liveth and worketh in the heart filled with the truth of His doctrine of love and burning with the sublimity of His Spirit.

Such was the spirit penetrating these congregations and animating their members to bear witness of their Christian purity. Thus fell the rugged partition of dogma, for the Church of God is not where confessions of faith are merely spoken, but where the Spirit of the sublime founder of our religion lives and works in the hearts of men.

It is nevertheless true, that the Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church did, and to this day does, desire to main tain an independent church government, founded on the tra- ditions and the " Concordia-Book " of this church ; and that they therefore peremptorily refused, and still refuse, a union of Lutherans and the Reformed, and do not allow communion with others, whose clergymen are even excluded from the Lu- theran pulpits. However, the congr gations of the Lutheran Synod have made decided progress. Persevering labors and great sacrifices have enabled them to build splendid and magnificent churches and schools, and it is apparent that they, like other denominations, know how to erect edifices in which the Lord dwelleth with His Spirit and blessing.

Thus has the Protestant church of Madison county suc- ceeded to have most of their congregations develop, without being fettered by an exclusive confession of faith. They have retained the Christian religion, as taught in the books of the Old and New Testament, and as explained or defined by the Confession of Augsburg ( Confessio Augustana).

The " Credo unam sanctam Catholicam et Apostolicam ecclesiam " has not yet been reached, but it is drawing nearer ; for it is the free and living unity, held up by the ties of peace ; the unity in spirit, developing its various gifts ; the unity of order and concord; the homogeneous- ness, despite dogmatical differences, which forever seeks, surely finds, and ultimately secures the " Una Sanctu Ec- clesia."

In order to reach the historical development of the Ger- man congregations in the American Bottom, Madison county, we must refer to the beginning of the church life of the first inhabitants.

THE M E. EBENEZER CHURCHI ON CHOUTEAU SLOUGII.

This church was erected in 1836. It was an unadorned log house, but answered all purposes of the times. A church yard, located in close proximity, became the last resting-place of the weary wanderers, and is to this day, now and then, used as a place of interment. A second church,

THE M. E. SIX-MILE CHURCH,

was erected in 1840 near the Edwardsville plank-road, six miles east of the Mississippi. The most prominent members of these two congregations, whose descendants, now as nu-

merous as the stars of the firmament, belong to the first families of the county and state, were : Benjamin Irish, T. J. Irish, Samuel Squire, Peter Barco, Calvin Kinder, Geo. A. Kinder, Samuel Kinder, J. W. Delaplain, J. Davidson, Wesley Lucas, James S. Smith, Th mas G. Lofton, William Atkins, William Snyder, Captain William Gillham, Isaac Gillham, Newton Gillham, George Hayes, John Hayes, Charles Harward, John Woods and Isaac Bradou.

Some German and Swiss families, who had arrived at an early day, were cheerfully granted permission to use those buildings as places of worship.

The population was constantly increasing, and the neces- sity of a larger place for public worship was universally felt. The Odd Fellows built a large hall in 1852, and had the spacious and beautiful room on the ground floor arranged for a church ; as such it is used to this day. The old church had by this time become rather dilapidated, and was aban- doned by the Americans, while the Germans still used it as a meeting-house. The former erected at Kinder station a beautiful brick church in 1856, with foundations of cut stone. The upper floor is the church-room, and will com- fortably seat four hundred persons, while the lower rooms are used for schools.

The German population was now numerous enough to have a congregation of their own. Rev. W. W. Wilken, then a chaplain in the U. S. army, founded the first German congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Confession, in 1861.

THE GERMAN INDEPENDENT EVANGELICAL LUTIIERAN ST. JOHANNES' CHURCII,

A plain, frame building, was erected in the Six-mile Prairie, intended for a church and parochial school. The church was dedicated March 1, 1862, by Rev. W. W. Wilken, who was then chosen pastor, and remained in charge for twelve consecutive years. The church building of 1862 had be- come too small for the increasing congregation, and the pro- priety of building a more suitable church was apparent to all members. While all agreed that a larger and hand- somer building should be erected, discussion arose in refer- ence to the site of the proposed church, and the praisewor- thy harmony of the members, which had lasted for so many years, was sadly disturbed. During this agitation an offer was made by the M. E. Church at Kinder station to sell their handsome church, mentioned above, to the Germans of the St. Johannes' Congregation. Henry Deterding, Conrad Deterding, Fred. Philipps, Henry Fehling, Louis Hill, Her- man Brandes, Christ Ahrens, William Buenger, and Fred. Beekman bought the building in 1880, and invited Rev. W. W. Wilken, then p .stor of a congregation at Alton, to organ- ize and take charge of this congregation, which now (188I) adopted the name of

THE GERMAN EV. LUTHERAN ST. PETER'S CONGREGATION AT KINDER STATION.

The unmistakable and wonderful success of the new con- gregation, counting eighty-six members within a few months after organization, ought to have induced all members of the

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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.

St. Johannes' Congregation to join it. Instead of doing so, they resolved, although not as numerous as the St. Peter's Congregation, to ereet a new church on the site of their for- mer frame edifice. The new building was consecrated in 1882. It is a modest, frame building, fairly equipped within, has a steeple and a bell, and is large enough to accommodate all for many years to come.

FRENCH CONGREGATION IN HELVETIA.

DATA FURNISHED BY REV. L. F. VULLIET.

On Sept. 6, 1848, an omnibus brought from St. Louis a dozen of immigrants, hailing from French Switzerland, one of whom was A. E. Bandelier, Constant Rilliet, in later years successor of Bandelier in the Swiss consulate, and as- sociate county justice in 1861, and lastly Rev. Francis Vulliet, a minister of the Free Evangelical Church of Canton Vaud, who had come to America in the hope of finding here freedom of religion, that had been denied to him in his native country, the republic of Switzerland.

Soon after his arrival, Rev. Vulliet opened his house for religious worship every Sunday, to all persons speaking French, natives of Switzerland as well as of France. Rev. Vulliet was frequently reminded of the propriety of affiliat- ing with the Presbyterians as nearest to the standard he acknowledged, but he preferred remaining independent. Notwithstanding this freedom from ecclesiastical connections and the willingness of the preacher to allow freedom of action to church members, petty differences appeared before long among the hearers. Some wanted a more familiar form of worship, some a more definite organization. Pastor Vulliet proposed to the disaffected to organize themselves, showing a readiness to help, but not disposed to lead. Some of the congregation had however other views, effected a separation, with the view of establishing, as they said, a stricter discipline and, at the same time, a less vigorous ad- herence to the historical forms of worship. Under the name of the " Brethren," they started their own meetings in 1850. They formed the nucleus of the congregation of the " Plymouth Brethren," whose church, a frame building, stood for a period of twenty years on Sect. 24, three-fourths of a mile from the town of Sebastopol. A new church has since been crected, half a mile north of the former.

After the secession of the " Brethren " in April, 1851, the remaining members, about a dozen families, continuing to worship with pastor Vulliet, asked him formally to draw a confession of faith for them and to act as their pastor In this way was the French Evangelical Church of Highland organized. Meetings have been held regularly ever since on Sundays, first in the house of one member, then in the house of another, as they moved from the town to the country.

This order of things lasted ahout nine years. In 1858 the church resolved to buy lots and creet theron a building for

worship. It became therefore necessary to be incorporated under the laws of the State and to elect Trustees. C. Rilliet among them. The church was erected on lots 1 and 2, block 63, of brick, under contract with Nicholas Rohr for $1,352.20. The new building was dedicated on the first Sunday of October, 1859. In 1860 Florentine Delassus, Sr , and Louis Vulliet were elected clders Delassus died Dec. 1, 1865. The next to follow was pastor Vulliet, Feb. 21, 1874. Being then under the sole charge of the younger Elder, Lonis Vulliet, the church elected him pastor in May, 1×74, and resolved to perfect their organization by a revision of the constitution and to connect it with the Congregational Churches of America. This last did not take place till April 6, 1876, when the Southern Association of the Con- gregational churches of Illinois, convened at Bunker Hill, Macoupin county, admitted the French Evangelical Church, by her delegates, as a member of the Association. On the same day Louis Vulliet, one of the delegates of the church in Highland, was ordained to the ministry of the gospel.

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History of Madison County, Illinois With biographical sketches, Part 83

Author: Brink, W.R. & Co Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Edwardsville, Ill. : W. R. Brink & co. Number of Pages: 698

Author: Brink, W.R. & Co
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Edwardsville, Ill. : W. R. Brink & co.
Number of Pages: 698