USA > Illinois > Peoria County > The History of Peoria County, Illinois. Containing a history of the Northwest-history of Illinois-history of the county, its early settlement, growth, development, resources, etc., etc. > Part 74
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March 27, 1860 Rev. Mr. Ketchum was hired to succeed Mr. Sayer, but in Novem- ber of the same year Rev. J. H. Hazen was called. He served until September 6, 1861, when he resigned to accept a chaplainey in a regiment then organizing for the war of the rebellion.
January 15, 1862, Rev. D. E. Holmes was called. May 14 he was duly ordained and August 7, 1863, his resignation was accepted. From that time until 1869 the pul- pit was occupied by Rev. D. Stowell and Rev. - Jones, the time being about equally divided between the two.
May 26, 1869, Rev. S. A. Kinsbury was called and for two years and about three months he was pastor of the church.
July 3, 1872, Rev. Alexander MeArthur was called and served for one year. For some months no regular pastor was seeured but April 1, 1874, a call was extended to Rev. C. J. Thompson, who is still (1879) the shepherd of the flock. But one other man in the history of the church has occupied the position so many years in succession. This however has not been done altogether by smooth sailing.
September 9, 1878, Messrs. Norris Pitt, Thomas Petherbridge and William D. Bastow were excluded from fellowship on account of non-conformity to the covenant. The controversy was occasioned by the unwillingness of the parties to be bound by the total abstinence clause in the covenant.
September 13, four days Inter, twenty-six members withdrew from the church by letter anl joined their fates with those of the exeluded brethren in the formation of u new church which they named the Peorin Baptist Church.
July 27, 1864, the First Baptist church exchanged their property in Block 9, on
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Hamilton Street for their present church building lot 7, block 25 Underhill's addition, corner of Fayette and Madison Streets. The building was erected by the Unitarian Society, but as the membership of that church had been gradually swallowed up by other churches, chiefly by the Universalists, the church became extinct and Mr. Isaac Under- hill became the owner of the old church on Hamilton Street. Since purchasing the build- ing on Madison Street, a Sunday-school room has been added, a baptistry put in and other improvements made.
Adams Street Baptist Church - In May, 1854, the Rev. Henry Weston of the First Baptist church, and Mr. Thomas Powell of the Home Mission Board, first conceived the idea of building up another church interest in the lower portion of the city, and com- menced meetings in a school-house on Adams Street, belonging to Miss L. Wright, and during the Fall of this year they secured the services of Rev. John Edminston, who labored in that part of the city. In consequence of the earnest efforts of these gentlemen, sufficient interest was aroused to justify them in calling a meeting on December 12, 1854, for the purpose of organizing a church, which was duly accomplished. Subsequently the Sabbath School was organized with twenty-five scholars. In the following year through the personal efforts of Rev. Mr. Weston, a lot was secured, and a house of wor- ship was erected, 30 x 40 feet in size, and seating 250 persons, at a cost of $1,000. The dedication sermon was preached by Rev. John Edminston, the pastor of the congregation. The other officers of the Society were Richard Denby and William F. Kinsey, deacons, - Conibear, clerk. The subsequent pastors were, Revs. J. S. Mahon, L. Raymond, Oliver Cromwell, A. Greenbrand, Henry Wilbur, J. S. Brown, A. Kenyan, Geo. Prunk, William T. Green, Henry L. Humphrey, and William Shields.
The society has at present no pastor, but is otherwise officered by the following gentlemen, Job Whitimer, John Herschberger, and C. Loquist, deacons ; John Hersch- berger, C. Loquist and Geo. W. Martin, trustees. The present membership is forty, and that of the Sunday School sixty. The value of the church property is about $3,000.
The Peoria Baptist Church .- The history of this church, though brief, is eventful. Three of its constituent members had been driven from their former church home ( which home they had been largely instrumental in securing), for refusing to stand up to a total abstinence pledge in a new covenant (said covenant having been passed in direct viola- tion of all Baptist principles and usage), the church putting upon their records at the same time the fact that these three men were without reproach as consistent Christians and members. Twenty-seven other leading members of the same church directly applied for their letters, refusing to longer fellowship a body that would do so great a wrong. Immediately after the split occurred, these thirty persons held a meeting on the evening of September 11, 1878, and decided to organize a church on purely Baptist principles, as laid down in the word of God, allowing liberty of conscience in all matters non-essential (namely), on all points in which the Bible lays down no laws or commands. They named their organization "The Peoria Baptist Church," and adopted the following creed and covenant :
CREED .- We believe in God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, and that these three are one. That God the Son was manifest in the flesh, in the person of Jesus Christ, the example of the perfect man who died for our transgressions, bore the full penalty of our sins, rose from the dead, and ever lives our friend and intercessor. That God the Holy Spirit manifests Himself in the use of the word of God, drawing to Christ, changing the heart from sinfulness to righteousness, by inducing therein faith in Christ, and comforting, enlightening, and directing the spirit of those who are Christ's.
That those who have faith in Christ are heirs of eternal salvation, and should be baptized by immersion and may come to the table of the Lord ; that these two ordinances should be maintained in the foregoing order of the church, which consists of a body of believers in Christ, banded together for the worship and service of God.
That there will be a resurrection of those who have done well to eternal life, and of those who have finally re- jected Christ to eternal condemnation.
That the word of God is contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament, and is the supreme rule of faith and practice in matters of religion.
COVENANT. - " Having been brought as we trust by Divine grace to receive Christ as our Redeemer, we have
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solemnly and joyfully united together in humble dependance upon the Holy Spirit for the service and worship of God.
We seek by the faithful use of all Christian methods as sanctioned in God's holy word, for blameless and devout lives, for abundant faithfulness in Christ, for the salvation of souls, and for the complete kingdom of God.
We covenant to tolerate charity in belief and usage in things not essential, and to cherish Christian liberty, moderated by Christian charity, and we consecrate ourselves, our property, our time, and our talents to the glory of God the Father, through Jesus Christ our Lord. "
The following gentlemen, W. Bastow sen., Mr. Sedgewick, Mr. Robinson, Mr. Pether- bridge, Mr. Carson, and Mr. Hall, were regularly chosen trustees of the church and em- powered to purchase a lot. on which to erect a house of worship. They selected a lot on Fifth Street, and within eight weeks from the time that the first shovelful of earth was thrown out for the foundation, the building was completed and ready for dedication. The house is of wood with block front, cheerful, commodious and inviting, capable of seating 300. On Nov. 24, the church was opened for divine service in the morning, a Sabbath School was organized with sixty-three scholars in the afternoon, Rev. M. Card of Soma- nauk, preached the dedication service to a crowded house from the words, " I beseech of thee show me thy glory." Up to this time not a dollar had been asked for to defray the expenses of building. Something less than one hundred dollars had been given in voluntary contributions, the members themselves paying for the house as the building progressed. At its dedication about 8400 debt remained. An appeal was made to the congregation and something like 8200 subscribed. Every Sabbath morning and evening services were regularly held, and sermons preached by two of the members alternately, till the follow- ing February when the church was fortunate enough to secure the services of the Rev. Dr. Post of Southern Illinois as their pastor. Since then the Sunday School has increased to 125 and the church membership to double its original number. At the date of this sketch the church is prospering beyond the utmost expectation of its members. Happy, harmonious, and united, with a pastor whose zeal and knowledge is only equaled by his kindly interest in every member of his flock, and whose able sermons are building up good congregations, and a steadily increasing membership.
The German Baptist Church. - In the year 1851 Rev. John H. Krueger was sent to Peoria by the Baptist Home Missionary Society. For about a year he preached as mis- sionary, sometimes in the Court-house, but oftener in his own residence, until August S, 1852, when the church was duly constituted with eight members. Mr. Krueger was elected pastor and served faithfully and well for about ten years, until his voice failed on account of an affection of the throat, when he was compelled to quit preaching. Since that time he has resided in the city and for several years has sat upon his shoemaker's beneh in his shop on the Knoxville road just north of Main street.
After a time, as the church began to grow in numbers, they sought and obtained permission from the First Baptist society to hold meetings in the basement of their church. Here they continued to make their abiding place until in 1862. That year n lot was leased on the corner of South Jefferson and Maple streets and a small frame church was built with parsonage attached at a cost of about 8600.
About this time, a few months after Mr. Krueger's resignation, Dr. G. D. Menger was chosen pastor, which position he occupied for about five years. Then followed a lapse of a few months, after which Rev. Mr. Merz was ordained pastor. This relation continued during a period of about two years.
The next pastor chosen was Mr. L. H. Donner, who continued in the place about nine years. During the pastorate of this gentleman the parsonage was found too small, and a couple of rooms were added. Mr. Donner resigned his place October 1. 1878. Soon afterward Rev. H. L. Dietz, the present incumbent, was chosen.
In the year 1875 the society purchased a brick building on the southwesterly side of Monson Street, between Fourth and Fifth Streets, for 81,800. It had been built for what was known as the Cumberland Presbyterian church some years before, but for some time
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previous to its purchase by the German Baptists it had been allowed to run to decay. It had been a fair looking and comfortable building for a small sized congregation. The German Baptists as soon as they came into possession of it went to work to improve it. A Sunday-school room was built on in rear of the church and the building was thor- oughly repaired and made better than when new.
The Sabbath-school in connection with this church was organized in November, 1859, with Henry Hoklas as superintendent. About twenty-five scholars were enrolled at the first meeting, The present membership is about eighty, and Mr. Charles Haman is the superintendent.
The Catholic Church in Peoria .- In the year 1673 the illustrious Father Marquette, a Jesuit missionary, ascended the Mississippi, passing the Missonri, and, entering the Illi- nois, met the Indians called Peorias on its banks, most probably where the city of Peoria now exists, or in its neighborhood. He spent three days preaching in all their cabins. He there baptized a child that died in a few days afterwards - the first fruits of Catho- licity in Peoria.
LaSalle descended the Illinois river in the year 1680. He was accompanied by mis- sionaries of the order of St. Francis, called Recollects. Of these Father Gabriel, Rebourde, and Father Membre, visited the Peorias.
Father Gravier, Jesuit, labored as a missionary with the Peorians in the years 1693 and 1694. There were among them some fervent Christians. Even in the absence of the missionary the men assembled in the chapel for morning and evening prayers, and after they had left an old chief went through the village to call the women and children to the same duty.
About the year 1700 Father Gravier returned to Peoria and renewed his labors there ; but the medicine men excited a sedition in which the missionary was dangerously wounded, and narrowly escaped with his life.
Father Marest occupied the station for some time after Father Gravier, and the mission, then becoming vacant, the Indians, in punishment for their cruelty to their late missionary, were cut off from the French trade. Father Marest again visited them in 1711 and found them humbled and conscious of their fault. On his return to Kaskaskia he sent from there Father De Ville to renew the faith among the Peorians.
De Ville was a man of zeal and talent, and possessed of the art of winning Indians, so that the progress of the mission was rapid.
However, comparatively few of the Peorians had bowed to the cross, and after Father Louis De Ville had left, the village was again without a missionary and it became almost entirely pagan.
Yet it presented hopes. The great chief wore on his breast a cross and figure of the Blessed Virgin. He had found the latter and wore it with confidence when told that it represented the mother of God.
At the time of Father Charlevoix's visit to the mission in 1721, this chief's little daughter was dying and he brought her to the missionary to be baptized.
In course of time, from many causes not necessary to mention here, the Indian mis- sion of Peoria, like all the other Illinois Indian missions, ceased to exist.
About the year 1839, Father Reho, an Italian, visited the few Catholics then in the village of Peoria and its surroundings for many miles distant.
As a Catholic center in those early days, Kickapoo was regarded as of more impor- tance than Peoria, for Father Reho built a stone church there in 1840, while Peoria had not one until 1847, the old brick building long since taken down.
After Father Reho, several priests, Parodi, Stehle, Rinaldi and others, had charge of the Peoria mission up to the time of Father Montuori, who built the present St. Mary's brick church. It was dedicated by Archbishop Kenrick, of St. Louis, on the 17th of April, 1853. About that time the German Catholic congregation was organized. They
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had service for some time in St. Mary's church, until their own church edifice, St. Joseph's frame building, was dedicated in the Fall of the year 1854. The first pastor was Rev. Father Gipperich.
The pastor of St. Mary's, Father Coyle, built St. Patrick's frame church in the south-west district of Peoria, in the year 1862. The wants of the congregation there were attended to from St. Mary's church until the 1st of March, 1868, when Rev. M. Hurley took charge of it as pastor. The congregation is now building a beautiful briek church, at a cost of 825,000. It is expected to be completed in the course of the present year 1880. Father ITurley is still pastor of that congregation.
The St. Joseph's congregation is also building a fine brick church, at a cost of 826,- 000. It also is expected to be ready for dedication before the present year will come to an end. Father Baak is the pastor.
On the 11th of January of this year. 1880, the new church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus was dedicated by Rt. Rev. Bishop Spalding. It is situated on Madison Street, near Main. It makes the fourth Catholic church in Peoria. The congregation is German, and was organized in 1878. The pastor is very Rev. Titus Steiner, O. M. C.
The diocese of Peoria was erected by Papal Brief on the 12th of February, 1875, and the first and present bishop, Right Rev. John Lancaster Spalding, D.D., was conse- crated in New York by Cardinal McClosky, on the 1st of May, 1877. His cathedral is St. Mary's church, the present pastor of which is Rev. B. J. Spalding.
The total number of Catholics of every nationality in the city of Peoria can not be less than 7,000. The Catholic education of the children of the respective congregations is carefully attended to, parochial schools being attached to each church. The total num- ber of children in regular attendance is over 1,100. The teachers, for the most part, are ladies of religious orders ; the School Sisters of Notre Dame at St. Joseph's and St. Pat- rick's churches ; the Sisters of St. Joseph at St. Mary's, and the Ursulines at the church of the Sacred Heart.
The Sisters of St. Joseph own a fine, spacious building on Madison Street. It is called the Academy of the Sacred Heart. Here young ladies, both boarders and day scholars, receive a finished education in the higher branches of learning.
On the East bluff one of the most conspicuous and handsome buildings is the Brad- ley Hospital. It is owned and conducted by the Sisters of St. Francis, who were exiled from Germany a few years ago. It was established in 1878.
Church of Christ .- This congregation was organized in the year 1845 by Elder A. J. Kane, of Springfield, who still lives, honored and respected as a man and proclaimer of the gospel of Christ. Its first organization had the same number that met with the Sa- vior of men at the last supper, in the supper chamber in Jerusalem. Its first elder was William Tilford, who served the church faithfully until his death, on April 3, 1851. Of the original twelve Mrs. Eliza White, Mr. and Mrs. J. P. Brown - Mr. and Mrs. Samp- son Shockley, now of Eureka, and who have apostatised - are all known to be living at this writing. P. C. Redding, Esq. united with the church in 1847.
It was at first a despised band. The words of Chillingworth - worthy of being in- scribed on the walls of every meeting house in letters of gold - were adopted us a motto, " Where the Bible speaks, we speak ; where the Bible is silent, we are silent ; the Bible, and the Bible alone, the religion of Protestants." The feeble band tried to be faithful to God and His word, despite all opposition. They met from week to week for prayer and praise, as well as on the Lord's day, for the purpose of exhorting one another to faithful- ness, and to hear a sermon if a preacher was present. The especial objeet of meeting on every Lord's day, was to commemorate the denth, burial and resurrection of the Savior in the Lord's supper. They were obliged for ten years to mect from house to house ns n rule, but upon extra occasions the fire engine rooms or Court-house was secured. Elder D). P. Henderson immersed the first person (Mrs. Nuney Baff) into the church in 1847.
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Elders W. H. Davenport, John Lindsay, William Brown, Milton King, D. P. Henderson and A. J. Kane preached at different times for the struggling band. In March, 1853, a reorganization took place, effected by Elder M. P. King; J. P. Brown was set apart to the office of elder, and Sampson Shockley to that of deacon. The reorganization took place at the residence of Mrs. Eliza White, who still lives at the same place, corner Adams and Greene Streets, At this time their number had increased to twenty-six.
In 1854 the congregation began to consider the necessity of having a house of wor- ship, and by great sacrifice, and a liberality seldom displayed by persons under like cir- cumstances, the chapel on Seventh Street was built and dedicated February 17, 1855, by Elder Wm. Brown, of Springfield, Illinois, and President O. A. Burgess, now of Butler University, Indianapolis, Indiana. The Bible school was organized in that year. From 1855 to 1857 Elder John Lindsay, now of Eureka, labored for the congregation as its pastor, and the church was prosperous. In the latter year Elder J. A. Carman was called to the pastorate. For several years from 1858, the professors and students of Eureka College filled the pulpit ; in 1862 Elder D. R. Howe preached for the church; in 1864 and 1865 his place was filled by Elder John O. Kane, who was one of the mighty men of his day. The singing evangelist, Elder Knowles Shaw, held in August, 1872, a protracted meeting in a tent, resulting in more than fifty accessions. Elder Shaw was one of the most successful Evangelists of this century, having received into the church more than ten thousand persons. He was killed in a railroad accident near Dallas, Texas, in 1877, when in the prime of life and the most successful part of his ministry.
During the month of October, 1872, the church called Elder Ira J. Chase, to act as the under shepherd to the flock. In 1875, the chapel on Seventh Street became too small for the congregation, and through the efforts of the pastor and people, they were able to purchase of the New School Presbyterians their neat brick house of worship, cor- ner of Fulton and Monroe Streets, at a cost of $7,000. During Elder Chase's pastorate, hundreds of persons have united with the church, and the society is in peace, and appar- ently in love with their minister.
The First Congregational Church .- The Congregational claims to be the first regularly organized church in Peoria. It was organized in the year 1834 by Revs. Flavel Bascom and Romulus Barnes. The place was then a village of only about 400 inhabi- tants, and the church started out with a membership of eight. It was no light task for this handful to undertake the construction even of a primitive house of worship. They determined to make the effort, however, and the result was highly gratifying. They succeeded in A. D. 1835 in erecting a plain wooden building, twenty-eight by fifty feet. At that time, although the majority of the members were Congregationalist in sentiment, the form of church government was Presbyterian. This was the status until October, 1847, when the Congregational polity was formally adopted. From the organization of the church to 1847 the following named ministers had successively occupied the position of pastor : Flavel Bascom, Jeremiah Porter, J. Spaulding, and Mr. Lamb.
This church, actuated by a spirit of reform, took strong anti-slavery grounds. Feb- ruary 13, 1843, when convened with others for the purpose of organizing an anti-slavery society, they were driven from their own house of worship by a mob, which was headed by some of the prominent citizens of the place. Previous to this action by the mob a hostile meeting had been held at the Court-house, where it was
" Resolved to oppose by force, if necessary, the organization of any anti-slavery society in Peoria." The reasons were given as follows : " The doctrines advocated by members of said society, are in direct conflict with the laws and constitution of the United States, and their ultimate, if not direct, tendency is to produce discord and disunion between the Federal States of this Union, with no possibility of a benefit resulting to those in whose favor their sympathies seem to be enlisted, and the organization of such society in the town of Peoria would only tend to dis- parage and disgrace us as a community, and create domestic and personal difficulties and disorders."
After the adoption of the Congregational form of church government proper, Rev.
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William II. Star was the first pastor. He preached from October, 1847, until October, 1848. In November of that year Rev. L. Spencer commenced his labors as pastor of the church. In the year 1852 the Main Street church, for many years the pride of the city, was erected at a cost of $8,000. It was surmounted by a fine spire, but in the great tornado of May 13, 1858, it was carried away by the wind and was never rebuilt. In 1878 the church edifice went down before the march of improvement, and a block of stores now occupies its former site.
Mr. Spencer continued as pastor until April 14, 1853, when the relation was severed by death. His successor was Rev. J. W. Marsh, who served as pastor from January 2, 1853, to May 1, 1854. Then Rev. Henry Adams was chosen pastor. and ministered unto the church until November, 1855. In October of that year twenty-two members with- drew from the church and, in connection with others, organized what became the Fulton Street Presbyterian Church. This branch, or shoot, from the old church was first called the Union Congregational Church and Society. It was organized December 8, 1857, a New School Presbyterian church, by authority of the Presbytery of Knox. For ten years the organization was thus known, after which time, in view of the prospective re-union of the two churches, the name was changed to the Fulton Sireet Presbyterian Church and society.
The first pastor was Rev. Isaac E. Carey, who was ealled December 8, 1857, and served until August 29, 1860. A house of worship was built on the corner of Fulton and Monroe Streets, and it was dedicated on Christmas day, 1859. It was enlarged and im- proved at considerable expense in 1868, and was re-opened with appropriate services December 27th of that year.
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