USA > Indiana > Grant County > Centennial history of Grant County, Indiana, 1812 to 1912 : compiled from records of the Grant county historical society, archives of the county, data of personal interviews, and other authentic sources of local information > Part 88
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There is no gainsaying the fact that many churches have been built and made attractive even though like the people who worship in them, they are nonconformists to any style or creed. The first Grant county church was built in 1830 by Friends, and it is described elsewhere in its relation to the denomination. Mississinowa Friends church was built of red chin logs, which meant "easy chopping. " although "it was lasty timber, as lasty as walnut," and when it was replaced by the frame meeting house now part of the Snodgrass sanitarimm, the logs Were sold to Jacob O. Davis, a pioneer Friend of the neighborhood, who rebuilt them into a barn at the old Davis family homestead, and for years this old log barn was a landmark on the Jonesboro road, HOW Lincoln boulevard. When the logs finally rotted and the barn was tumbledown, the better logs were again utilized in building a sorghum factory or shelter for the boiling pans, but when the Davis farm becatue syndicate property under the advance of the town into the country, the old meeting house logs-the first temple of worship after the groves -went the way of all the world, although some are still living who worshipped there. Next to the fireside at home, in the minds and hearts of very many people is their affection for the church. "the house of thine abode, " and they sing the lines with the spirit and the under- standing.
The country is older than the town, and the church used to center in the country, but civilization in its advancement has changed many things. The mission of the church in the open country has become the concern of many-the decadence of the rural church has been the hue and ery, and the rural church must needs utilize its talent. The enriched church service is a rural possibility, the young having had the same musical advantages of their acquaintances and friends in town, and the social center is a rural necessity. Little Ridge Friends church occupies advance ground in the way of social center effort, and it is said that six denominations mingle together there in Sunday school rola
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tion. When the Indiana Sunday School Association convened in the First Presbyterian church in Marion in June, 1906, the officers and all visiting delegates united in saying that it afforded the best accommo dations of any Indiana church the association had used- - that it is admirably adapted to the needs of a great convention, and almost every town in Grant county has a kindred feeling with reference to some church within its borders.
These opening years of the Twentieth century have been an epoch of church building and remodeling in the entire county, and the religious sentiment of the people has found adequate expression in the nature of the church edifices they have constructed Solomon's Temple has- ing no more significance to many than their own modest church editice. A number of local churches occupy extremely valuable and advantage ous building sites, and according to the economic trend only a few years are destined to work some important changes in the churen homes of Grant county. The tendency is to remove from the noisy centers where congregations may worship without the annoyance of passing cars and other counter influences. The value of church property exempt. of course, from taxation only as abutting improvements are made, would aggregate a great deal of money, and there are perhaps as many de nominations represented in Grant as in any other Indiana county. All Grant county is cosmopolitan, the ingress of so many people in the first derade of the Twentieth century, both rural and urban growth, and many attracted hither brought their religious convictions with them. although denominations did not seem to multiply. Perhaps no new church was established as a result, yet many were greatly strengthened from the standpoint of numbers. The church, the agency of welcome in the community or society, claus all additions to the community. " When the church did not welcome me, society outstretched its arms." said a churchly woman who lost her interest in things ecclesiastical and joined a card party, and when the church afterward reclaimed her it had its lesson in social activities.
When the Ladies' Home Journal sent Laura Smith to discover the social atmosphere of American churches she overlooked Grant county, although local churches seem to be in a flourishing couchtion with a great deal of cordiality among the membership, and a fellowship Feel- ing calculated to foster and develop the Christian lives of the young in each denomination. In order to discover the inherent love of most people for their respective churches, let a fire break out and see how many heart strings are wrung, and how many firesides are touched what a community of interests centers about any Christian church. tirant county people have had their mettle tested, and in to instance have they been found wanting in the spirit of loyalty, and the debris soon cleared away-they are again building for the future, even in the face of seeming impossibilities. When a church home is consumed hy tire, it usually entails self-denial in many families, but this religions social structure must again point heavenward -- the fact already demonstrated in numerous instances. The percentage of the popula- tion, white and black, that regularly wends its way to the different churches is certainly some index to the reverence and worshipful spirit of the people-the whole people of Grant county.
Although the eraze for extremely fine churches has not yet swept the county as in some localities, ministers who have lived in other com- minnities say that comparatively speaking the church-going habit is well fixed in all Grant county. While many do not attend church regularly, at one time or another the majority of people worship in the different churches of Grant county. While some only go often enough
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to keep up a running acquaintance with the members and keep down the average attendance they go. Material things have not claimed the entire attention of the membership of the different churches and a devout, worshipful spirit is manifest. People seem to have a full appre ciation of the church service, and conduct themselves with becoming dignity while attending it. There is little ostentation in the manner of dress, and there is fraternal feeling the moral tone of society in fluenced by the churches, and the attitude of the people toward them. Grant county churches owe much to the schools of music (Soy Chapter, Musical Life of Grant County , and as far as the enriched church service is concerned, the entertainment features, all are fortunate. All churches now recognize music as a helpful feature. Indeed, local church mussse is superior, and artists' recitals do not require imported singers of players -home talent.
There always have been and are splendid ministers in Grant county pulpits, and while sonte men do not attend the Militant church the sery- ice is not wholly in the interest of women and children - and there will be tenor and base in the church choir Triumphant. Some excellent native talent has gone from Grant county into other pulpits can't ronat them on your fingers - bright and shining lights, " and while the homefolk will always have an interest in its exiles, there is a feeling of devotion in most local churches to the minister and hus methods. The Marion Ministerial Association affiliates with all Grant county ministers who care for its fellowship, and it has been untiring in its efforts to unite all church going people in essential things. Denomina tional lines are barriers no longer, and sister churches work together in harmony with many interests in common, and all are prosperous as well as tolerant of each other. When the citizens of Marion were assembled in the Coliseum to extend a welcome to Dr. R. A. Torrey in his initial meeting in April, 1911. G. B. Lockwood, representing the Marion press, assured the religious people of the community that each newspaper in town would carry a religions editor and tabulate and print all the church news if the church people wanted it, but the proposition fell Hat -- there was absolutely no response to it, and the historian was wise about it.
For eighteen months at one time the writer had made a Saturday news feature of the different churches in The Marion Leader, and while at the time many people enjoyed it, some of the local ministers refused their support, would! shut up like elamts when asked for information, while others recognized in such publicity a splendid feature, the sole intent and purpose being to place religious news -the news of the churches-before the people as theater news reached them. It was a pleasant innovation aside from Hobnobbing with a Few ministers who did not indorse such publication. The readers certainly have it in their power to shape the policy of a newspaper, but Mr. Lockwood's offer was not accepted by Chronic readers when he stated his proposition in the Coliseum. An effort was made to secure church history from the laity of all denominations in this Centennial smumary, ministers not having been asked for it because as a rule they are not permanent eiti- xens, and in most instances it has required more effort than it would have taken to write it, but all have come from authoritative sources, although some chose to give the data rather than prepare copy for pub- lication. When a history emanates from some one wholly in sympathy with the denomination, it is more satisfactory. Some denominations are much stronger than others, but none have been limited in space on account of numbers. All have had the same opportunity- have been invited to furnish their own historian.
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Each township historian has told of the different than Des in this locality, but not from the denominational view point. The nesto church history has been fully covered in the chapter: "The Negro in Grant County, " and while there are a few Swedenborgims, their moabership is in Indianapolis. The International Bible Students' Association is a group of local people who do not affiliate with organized churches. although since the Century year they have held regular meetings in Jonesboro. The Spiritualists have flourished at times, and there have been street corner preachers who did not detine themselves, and David Wilson, the old negro minister at Hill's Chapel, who used to sometimes occupy pulpits among the white churches, declared openly that it was just as sensible to undertake to tounel through the Rocky Mountains with a goose quill as to rebel against the Word of God, and that is the philosophy adopted by many who never listened to his eloquente at all. While some churches do not observe periodical communion, the Twen- tieth century has witnessed the change from the old Fashioned Lord's Supper to the individual cup survive, and now the more sanitary method is almost universal in tirant county churches. As long as people are of different mentality and temperament. their religion will express itself in different channels, although there is a splendid church fellowship in Grant county.
While the women have long had the missionary spirit, and have had both home and foreign missionary societies, carrying out the Bilde injunction : "Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel." the first missionary activity among men was aroused when the Presbyterian Brotherhood was organized about five years ago. Now there are many active brotherhood associations, some of them better attended than the regular church services-some ten having the social instinct better developed than the religious tendency. The missionary problem has changed with changed local conditions, and the baymen's Missionary movement had liberal support from its inception, At one of the ban- quets a speaker likened the occasion to the Lord's Supper, and the busy business man finds the banquet an excellent solution gives him time for such things. The day when the members of the different churches were strangers to each other is past, and this Laymen's Missionary movement has had its part in making of the church the social center of the community. The modern church is planned with banquets in view. and when the people are thrown mote together they learn the true spirit of sympathy-religion being influenced by social conditions.
It may be that Grant county citizens are gospel hardened, Marion having been a sort of theological storm center since the Century year. Ostrom, Mumball. Biederwolf, Torrey, Hobson and Lyon all turning loose their evangelistie artillery in combined efforts of the churches, and time out of mind all the denominations having had strong evange listic campaigns within their own ranks, and a generation ago Mrs. Maria Woodworth put many people through france experiences who listened to her in the open air. But there is still some good in Nazareth -some who stay with the cause. While oil and water do not mix, the religious element in Grant county combines admirably-all the churches have one purpose, and the brethren do dwell together with a degree of unity. A complete church directory follows, all the churches of our denomination treated in special chapters. While Children's day and Mother's day are well observed, the movement to have all the people attend church- Church day-is so recent that it is not yet a matter of history.
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LXXXVIIL. ST. JOSEPH REFORMED CHURCH
St. Joseph Reformed church is in the "Dutch settlement." in Van Buren. It was built in the early '90s, but is now abandoned except for an occasional service. The St. Joseph and the St. John Reformed church in Marion hell the same tenets, but when the Marion church property was sold to the Baptists, the local congregation not strong enough to support a minister, there was but one congregation in the county, and their regular meetings were suspended, although there is considerable wealth represented in the St. Joseph church membership. The church adjoins the Lee cemetery, and the German community around there built it.
LXXXIX. WESLEYAN METHODIST
The Wesleyan Methodist is a split from the Methodis Episcopal church on the question of slavery. Some of the old line Methodisty weil slave owners, and those opposed to human slavery seeeded from the church. The leader among them im Grant county was Rev. Alfred Tharp. Believing in emancipation principles. Rev. Tharp organized several Wesleyan classes, and was an active member of Westfield, long since abandoned as a place of worship. Sampson Reeves, of the same community. was another prominent Wesleyan. although he lived much later than Rey. Tharp. The first Wesleyan church in the county was on the site of Gethsemane, organized by Key. Tharp and later owned by Moses Bradford, and it was as much of an abolition echter as any church in Grant county, Rev. Tharp died in Ists, but several churches owe their existence to him. There are now three Wesleyan churebes in Marion, one in Fairmount, where there is a Wesleyan Theological Isti tute, one at Roseburg, Fowlerton, Wesleyan Back Creek, and the farther est north is Fairview. There have always been missions and there is one in Gas City. While slavery was the reason of its origin, the Wesleyan church teaches justification by faith, entire sanctification, and the sub- sequent work of regeneration wrought in the human heart by the Holy Spirit.
Among the prominent early Wesleyans were Rey. Tharp. Rev. Reeves. Rev. Isaac Meeks, (who organized several schoolhouse classes , Enoch Marsh and William Lacey. Rev. Larey, who was an Aholunionist. bad the distinction of having helped Eliza of " Quele Tout's Cabin' across the Ohio when she was a refugee. Hy died at the home of Riley Howell. Alfred Tharp first preached in the Grant county courthouse in 1811. and at that time the Wesleyans were as active in underground railroad operations as the Quakers, Moses Bradford always having a station in Marion, then his boute, in the edge of Washington township While Mr. Bradford never had any secrecy about his slaves in hiding, he never lost any of them and would often mislead their owners in search of them at the time he was harboring them. le would have an attie full of negroes and yet know absolutely nothing of any refugees that were being hotly pursued, and once when he had six negroes in hiding. he came to Eugene Norton's store and asked him for $5 toward their sup port, and at the expense of his patronage Mr. Norton was forced to give him the money. He had no more use for an Abolitionist than a negro, but he produced the money, saying : "Take it, Moses, and lead them ou to the Promised Land." Thus everybody knew Mr. Bradford was a Wesleyan Abolitionist.
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There have been women among the Wesleyan ministers, and one time Mlrs. Leah Moore, mother of the late Mrs. Deborah Moore Wall was preaching at Fairview while the war cloud still hovered over Grant county. Her text, "Blessed is the Nation Whose God is the Lord," is well remembered by some who heard her masterful appeal against the institution of slavery. Mrs. Moore died in 1861 at the home of Abram Goodykoontz. She organized the Wesleyan church in Fairmount. On the cold New Year, 1861, she preached at Wesleyan Back Creek and took a cold, which resulted in her death in January. Promment among Wesleyan laymen of an early day were Christopher Sears Zaba Marine. William Bartholomew, Riley Howell. William Cos, and many others who Were as active in putting down slavery as the Quakers, who were nearly all Abolitionists at the time slaves were making their way across Grant county toward Canada, that "cold and dreary land" where they were safe from their pursuers - the planters from the south.
XC. SALVATION ARMY
There has been a continuous branch of the Salvation Army in Marion since 1901, and prior to that time there had been several attempts to maintain a post in the town, It would always lapse and after a few years be revived again. Captain Roy Marshall, who came in 1912. was here through the 1913 flood period, and who was first to come to the resette of the flood sufferers, speaks of just such eller- gencies as the army's opportunity its special mission. A hall is main- tained and street meetings are the phase of army life with which the publie is familiar. There are always willing contributors, people hit the drum with coins who do not contribute to the churches, and who feel that the Salvationists are doing a work overlooked by the churche. -special efforts for the poor of the community A person must show some honesty of purpose before he is enrolled in the Salvation army corps, and while the captain must keep strict record of all business transactions, no local record of historic nature exists. There are rules and regulations governing the army, and Captain Marshall has always cooperated with the Marion Federated Charities better than some of his predecessors. The Salvation Army captain does not become a street preacher from the financial standpoint, and he must take in sufficient money to meet all current expenses, his personal bills, hall rent and incidentals, and he and his wife working together may claim $12 a week after all expenses are met- the condition, they must get the money from the street corner contributers. There are few million aires in the Salvation Army. About thirty members are enrolled in Marion, the only post in Grant county, although street meetings are sometimes held in other towns. The Way Org is the official organ. The local post reports to Indianapolis. An inspection officer comes every three months. The Salvation Army was organized in 1974, in England, and when its founder, General William Booth, died in 1912. funeral ceremonies were conducted in Marion for him.
XCL. CHURCH OF CHRIST SCIENTIST
While the First Church of Christ, Scientist, has seemingly been in existence in Marion much longer, its charter was procured from the
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office of the Secretary of State, April 28. 1908. under special cuact- ment of 1901, concerning the organization and perpetuity of voluntary associations. Regular meetings of the society had been held from the Century year, and there is now a society in Fairmount, while people from other towns worship with the First church in the Marion Con servatory of Music Auditorium. About 100 persons visit the reading .room maintained by the First church, and members take The Christian Science Monitor, daily; The Sentinel, weekly, and The Journal, monthly. The reading room is open two hours every afternoon and literature is sold or loaned as suits the occasion. "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," by Mrs. Mary Baker (. Eddy is the hand book. and it is read at all times in connection with the Bible. Once a year a speaker is brought from the Mother church in Boston, and the public is always invited to this special service. The regular Sunday service is in charge of readers, the first reader using Mrs. Eddy's book and the second reading the parellel selections from the Bible The first reader conducts the Wednesday evening service, which is a testi mony meeting. Healing is the doctrine taught and many people beside Scientists sometimes attend the services. The Scientists have just acquired a building site at White's avenue and Fourth street.
XOIL. PRIMITIVE BAPTISTS
There are three Primitive Baptist churches - Harmony at Mattheus. Taylor ereck in Sims township and the church at Fowlerion. Harmony and Taylor creek are old congregations, both having been organ ized about the middle of the last century, while the Fowlerion church was organized recently, about three years ago. While there have been several ordination services at Harmony, C. 1. Goble is the only man ever ordained at Taylor creek, and it was a most impressive ceremony. As the name implies, the Primitive Baptists adhere to apostolic customs and musical instruments are not used in their churches. All the Grant county churches are in easy communication along the C. 1. and E (Panhandle) Railways, and special meetings are attended by all. Har mony and Fowlerton people being allowed to leave the train at Taylor Preek and vice-versa. and while they are close communionists, only those of the same faith and order being invited to the Lord's table, visiting friends are always invited to share their hospitality when basket din- ners are spread at the different churches. For more than a quarter of a century Elder Jacob Richards, of Harmony, tilled monthly appoint ments at Taylor creek, and because of few resident ministers the Prim itive Baptists do not hold service so frequently as most other denom inations. The Richards and Pence families are prominent Primitive ( Hardshell) Baptists. The Grant county churches affiliate with Mount C'armel church in Hancock county and constitute the Lebanon Asso- ciation.
XCHI. NEW LIGHT CHRISTIANS-CONGREGATIONALISM
The record says: The Christian church in Marion, Grant county, Indiana, was organized on the second of May in the year of our Lord. 1839, by Elder Hallet Barbour, of the Ohio Central Christian Con- ference. At the time of its organization there were but nine persons
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constituting it. Most of these were persons who had formerly belonged 10 Bethel Christian church, in Champaign county, Ohio. Immediately after the organization one new member was added, making ten in all Of these, four were men and six were women. Following are the name. of the fen charter members: John Moore, Jantes Stackhouse. Thomas Wall, Case Broderick, Susannah Moore, Mary Stackhouse. Elizabeth Oppy, Mary Marshall. Lydia Alder and Nancy Broderick. Some of the present Temple members are descended from these founders of the church. While the name of this church has been changed, the site occupied is the one chosen by its founders, and the third edifice how marks the spot. When the first little church was razed in readiness for the second the work was so sacred that it was performed by the members themselves, and only because of need of larger auditorium accomodations.
While Hallett Barbour founded the local church, Barton W. Stone was the real founder of its liberal tenets, and Silas Parks was among the active early day local ministers. He preached in Marion frequently and organized the Walnut creek church, where he had preached the night before his death, although the burial ground near the county farm is all that remains of that historie church. Silas Parks was the man to whom death came twice, having been prepared for binial several years before his final interment. When the pennies were removed from his eyes the spell was broken, and he escaped from the house where the family was living in Illinois. For many years he preached the gospel. rraring his family in Grant county.
Lugar Creek Christian church -MeKenney chapel- was organized in 1855. Dr. William MeKinney, who lived near, being a charter mem. ber, and doing noch toward establishing it. While it once Fad a large memberslup, families have left the community, and it is now a small communion circle. Along in the '80s and '90s, a number of other Chris tian churches were organized by A. J. Ferguson and the late Thomas .1. Puckett, who is remembered as an exhorter who removed his coat while preaching. Among those churches are Parrville, Landess, Su. zve. Jefferson and Antioch, although Mr. Ferguson did not know about Antioch's early history. There are now two New Light Christian churches in Marion, one on South Adams street and the other in North Marion- old Salem church moved to town. Since January 18, 1905. the original Christian church in Marion is a Congregational church, the change of name being all that was necessary.
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