USA > Indiana > Decatur County > History of Decatur County, Indiana: its people, industries and institutions > Part 19
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Churches may come and churches may go, but a better civilization is not gauged by the mere number of churches. Many factors have entered into the disappearance of the rural church, and not the least of these is the shift- ing of population from the country to the towns and villages. For this same reason, there are hundreds and even thousands of public schools throughout Indiana which have been discontinued within the past twenty-five years. Many a neighborhood which had from fifty to seventy-five school children half a century ago cannot even support a school with the minimum number of twelve required by the law at the present time. This ever-increasing drift from rural to urban centers affects not only the church and the school, but our national life along all lines. Nor does it mean, in any sense of the word, that we are becoming less religions because of fewer churches, or more ignor- ant because of the abandonment of so many rural schools.
There can be no questioning the fact that Decatur county has passed through a marked religious change during the past three-quarters of a cen- tury, nor can it be denied that things might be better. Yet it must be admit- ted that the people of the county are living lives today much closer to the Ten Commandments than ever before. History tells us that our good fore-
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fathers were not always as good as we have usually pictured them; could we of today see them in their daily life we would be surprised at some of the things they did. The great majority of them drank-and drank whisky ; they were very profane ; they were prone to fight; they grafted in public affairs just as has been done since ; they had many shortcomings which we have not been accustomed to associate with them. Yet, they were relig- ious-though the preacher often worked his sermon out with the aid of a whisky flask. In those cold churches of the twenties and thirties the bottle was called upon to supply the heat denied by the old fireplace or rude stove. It was the way people lived in those days; in their view a bottle of whisky was as essential to the farmer on harvest day as the bottle of machine oil is today.
Under truly pioneer conditions did our forefathers live for many years. and to see them file into church on Sunday morning in the thirties, one would certainly think so. An old settler, writing in 1830, tells of going to church at Westport, "where most of the congregation was barefooted. Some wore moccasins, some buckskin breeches and hunting shirts, with coon, fox or possum-skin caps on their heads. Many of the caps were ornamented with fox tails. One old man and his spouse rode to the meeting on a big red bull."
According to the custom of the period, the men sat on the left side of the center aisle and the women on the right. Husbands and wives and sweet- hearts went to and from church together. but sat apart during services, lest their attention be distracted from the parson's discourse.
Says Mrs. Martha Stevens, writing of a Greensburg church of early days: "Then ladies used to sing treble, and you would often hear a lady away above the congregation. They thought it was fine, but. under the new way, the men sing the tenor. The hymns were lined, as it was then called. Two lines would be given out by the minister or clerk, then sung by the congregation, then two more lines would be read and sung."
Our forefathers in Decatur county did not worship in beautiful churches, but gathered in their own homes, in school buildings, in groves when the weather permitted, and even in barns. They neither grumbled nor com- plained, but were joyful and happy with the lot Providence had seen fit to give them. Their services were very irregular ; they had no Sabbath schools and no musical instruments. Without any of the modern attractions which are now deemed a necessary part of the church, they worshipped in a quiet. simple and very unostentatious manner. Often weeks must pass without a regular minister, and then some pioneer conducted the services, if not in an
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orthodox manner, yet with that true Christian spirit which found favor with the Giver of all good things. In these humble meetings-and often the lit- tle band did not number over a dozen-they thanked God for what He had vouchsafed them and asked Him to continue His blessings toward them. And who is there to say that they did not do all they could to advance the kingdom of Heaven.
We want a religion that softens the step and tunes the voice to melody and fills the eye with sunshine and checks the impatient exclamation and harsh rebuke. \ religion that is polite, deferential to superiors, courteous to inferiors, and considerate to friends: a religion that goes into the family and keeps the husband from being cross when the dinner is late and the wife from fretting when he tracks the floor with his muddy boots, and makes him mindful of the scraper and doormat; keeps the mother patient when the baby is cross, and amuses the children as well as instructs them; cares for the servants besides paying them promptly ; projects the honeymoon into the harvest moon ; makes a happy home like the Easter fig tree, bearing in its bosom at once the beauty of the ripened fruit. We want a religion that shall interpose between the ruts, gullies and the rocks of the highway of life and the sensitive souls that are traveling over them. And who shall say that the simple faith of our forefathers was not as potent in bringing all this about as the religion preached today.
The Baptists and Methodists were the first to establish churches in Decatur county, and they were closely followed by a number of other denon- inations. The Presbyterians and Christians (erroneously called the Camp- bellites ) were early in the field, and by the middle of the last century more than fifty churches were scattered throughout the county. The Protestants had the field to themselves until 1840, when the first Catholic church was established, and since that year the Catholics have steadily grown in power and influence. They have many strong congregations in the county, most of their members being of German birth or descent. But, whether Protest- ant or Catholic, the influence of the church is always exerted in behalf of cleaner living and for a higher conception of the brotherhood of man and the fatherhood of God.
In the discussion of the churches of Decatur county it seems best to submit a list of all the churches, both active and discontinued, which have appeared at one time or another in the history of the county. For the pur- pose of location, they are given by townships, and by section if in the rural districts.
It may be a surprise to many people of Decatur county to know that
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there have been more than ninety different church organizations in the county since its organization in 1822, but a study of the religious history of the county reveals the fact that there have been that many in existence at one time or another. A surprisingly large number of these churches are now discontinued and many others are struggling with a few members and irreg- ular services.
Churches representing the following denominations have been found in the county: African Methodist Episcopal. Baptist ( three kinds), Christian (Campbellites). Christian ( Newlights), Christian Science, Christian Union, Episcopal, Free Will Methodists, Holiness. Lutheran, Methodist Episcopal. Methodist Protestant, Pentecostal, Presbyterian (two branches), United Brethren and Catholic.
In many cases the location of the church is designated by section. Where the section is given it refers to the section, township and range of the par- ticular civil township. The list follows :
Adams Township-Baptist, Adams, Mt. Moriah ( discontinued) and New Little Flat Rock: Catholic, St. Paul: Christian, Adams and St. Paul ; Methodist, Adams, St. Omer ( discontinued ). St. Paul and Shiloh (discon- tinued ) ; Presbyterian, St. Omer ( discontinued) : Union church. section 34; United Brethren, St. Omer and Union Chapel.
Clay Township-Baptist, Burney and Mt. Hebron ( discontinued) ; Christian, Clifty : Methodist, Clifty and Burney ; unknown, section 36, south.
Clinton township-Christian, section 2: Methodist, Sandusky.
Fugit Township-Catholic. St. Maurice: Christian, Clarksburg: Meth- odist. Clarksburg. Mt. Carmel and St. Maurice (discontinued ) ; Presbyter- ian, Memorial (section 20), Kingston, Clarksburg and Springhill.
Jackson Township-Baptist, Dry Fork ( discontinued). Mt. Pleasant, Sardinia, and Mt. Pisgah (discontinued) ; Christian, Waynesburg; Chris- tian Union, Alert : Methodist. Alert. Asbury (discontinued ) and Wesley Chapel ; Presbyterian, Forest Hill and Sardinia (discontinued ) : United Brethren, Sardinia.
Marion Township-Baptist, Sandcreek, Rock Creek and Antioch: Cath- olic, Millhousen: Christian, Antioch ( discontinued) : Methodist, Burke's Chapel and Mt. Pleasant ; unknown, section 27. north.
Salt Creek Township-Baptist, Rossburg: Catholic. Enochsburg : Chris- tian, Mechanicsburg and Newpoint: German Lutheran, section 26; German Methodist, section 23; Methodist. section 32.
Sand Creek Township-Baptist. Mt. Aerie. Letts, Friendship. Westport,
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and section 28: Christian, Westport: Methodist, Westport, Letts, section 23 and section 18, south ; United Brethren, Fredonia ; unknown, section 4. east.
Washington Township-Baptist, Liberty, Sandcreek (moved to Mar- ion township) ; Baptist, section 28; Christian (Newlight) : Methodist, sec- tion 15, south.
Greensburg-African Methodist, Baptist. Catholic, Christian, Christian Science, Episcopal, Holiness, Lutheran, Methodist Protestant, Methodist Episcopal (two churches), Presbyterian.
One difficulty in locating these churches is in identifying the church with the local name. Three Sand Creek churches, two Antiochs, two Mt. Pleasants, two Mt. Moriahs and two Flat Rocks have been found. One church still shelters two separate congregations-Lower Union-in Marion township. The Baptists call it Rock Creek and the United Brethren know it as Lower Union, the oldest title by which the people of that neighborhood know it. One of the Antiochs was torn down several years ago, moved to Greensburg and is now the home of the Pentecostal (Holiness) band of worshippers. Another place of worship in the county seat enjoys the sug- gestive title of Ark.
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCHIES.
In 1915 there were eighteen active Methodist churches in Decatur county, as follow, the names of the pastors also being given: Greensburg, First, J. H. Doddridge: Greensburg, Centenary, J. Ed. Murr ; Greensburg, Colored, T. W. Daniels: Milford. J. A. Gardner; Adams, J. A. Gardner : Westport. T. J. Lewis; Letts, T. J. Lewis ; Mt. Pleasant, T. J. Lewis : Burk's Chapel, T. J. Lewis; Clarksburg, C. E. Hester ; Sandusky, C. E. Hester ; Mt. Carmel, C. E. Hester: Newpoint, H. A. Broadwell; Middlebranch, H. 1. Broadwell: New Pennington, H. A. Broadwell; Alert, William De Hart ; Wesley Chapel, William De Hart; Burney, Joseph H. Laramore.
Although there were Methodist meetings in Decatur county at a very early date, little is known of the activities of this denomination before 1835. as most of the work was done in small classes and no records of them were kept. But it is known that among the first settlers of this county were hardy, two-fisted Methodist ministers, ready to turn a hand in the clearing and at other rough toil or to preach, pray and exhort. Uncultured and unkempt as most of them were, yet they brought with them a message that could not pass unheeded, for they were marching in the vanguard of a mili- tant denomination.
CENTENARY M. E. CHURCH.
BAPTIST CHURCH.
E
OLD FIRST M. E. CHURCH.
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
-
FIRST M. E. CHURCH.
SOME GREENSBURG CHURCHES.
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Most of these early ministers of the gospel have been forgotten, the names of many of them have been lost, forever, and stately temples tower high on the sites of the rude cabins in which they first summoned sinners to repentance. The names and deeds of a few of them are still preserved through the lapse of almost a century.
James Murray was the first of the Methodist circuit riders to enter the "New Purchase." Then there was James Havins, "Old Samuel" they called him, who for fifty years rode circuits and served as presiding eller. There were John Havens and John Linville, camp-meeting singers, well worthy of the name, who would compare most favorably with the evangelistic singers of today. Nor should Daniel Stogsdill be forgotten, "old Dan Stogsdill," who walked more miles, organized more churches and preached more free sermons than any other man in Decatur county. And last, there was James Hobbs, one of the first settlers at Clarksburg, and an old man then. "Preacher of the gospel-ordained," he styled himself. Besides, there were many others. but their names have been lost to the historian.
METHODISM IN GREENSBURG.
During the ninety-three years which have elapsed since 1822 the Meth- odist church has been an active factor in the religious life of Greensburg. Its history, like that of Ancient Gaul, may be divided into three parts, for in the ninety-three years there have been no less than three separate congrega- tions in the city-and all three claiming to be founded on the doctrines as enunciated by the Wesleys. The historian in attempting to follow these three distinct congregations from their inception down to the present time is seriously handicapped by not having access to all the several church records. Then again, there is no question which excites such violent prejudices as does the religious question. The causes leading to the various divisions in the Methodist church in Greensburg are fairly well defined, yet an impartial historian in such a case would not dare to rely altogether on what people have to say concerning the matter. The following discussion of the First Methodist, Centenary and Methodist Protestant churches of Greensburg is based on church records which have been examined, on articles appearing in the newspapers at the time the various divisions occurred, and, finally, on personal interviews with people representing each of the three churches. An attempt has been made to treat the question from a historical and not a doctrinal viewpoint.
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FIRST METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
It should be stated in the beginning that there was only one Methodist Episcopal church in Greensburg up to the spring of 1866, the year when the first division occurred which resulted in the establishment of the present Centenary church. These two congregations still maintain their separate organizations. The third Methodist church was the result of a split in the congregation of the Centenary church in the spring of 1877, but this third branch has long since disappeared. With this brief statement of facts, the history of the First Methodist church, the only one in the city from 1822 to 1866, is taken up and followed to the time of the great schism of 1866.
In a ponderous volume, entitled "Church Record," the history of the beginning of Methodism in Greensburg has been preserved. While Rev. Charles Tinsley was pastor of the First Methodist church in 1881, he pre- pared a "History of Methodism in Greensburg, Indiana," which appears on the first few pages of the above mentioned "Church Record." His account was undoubtedly prepared with a view of presenting the main facts and the historian uses it verbatim :
"John Robbins, who is living at this date (September 13, 1881), in Greensburg, states that he settled near Mt. Pleasant Methodist Episcopal church, March 28, 1822, four miles south of Greensburg. The first Metho- dist sermon he heard in the county was about September of the same year by Rev. James Murray, of the Connersville circuit-then of the Ohio con- ference-at the double log cabin of Col. Thomas llendricks [in Greens- burg]. Mr. Robbins immediately afterward received authority by letter from Mr. Murray to organize a class, which he did at his own house, and from this [grew] the first religious organization in the county. After this he [Robbins] attended the organization of the Baptist church at Sand Creek.
"The members of this first Methodist class were John and Ruth Rob- bins. Robert Courtney. Elizabeth Garrison, John H. Kilpatrick and Mary. his wife-seven persons, and soon afterward [they were joined by] Jacob Steward, A. L. Anderson, Mary Garrison, Tamzen Connor, Lydia Groen- dyke, Rev. Wesley White and wife Elizabeth, and James and Polly Arm- strong.
"When the Greensburg class was formed Jacob Stewart was transferred to it. [Where he had previously belonged is not stated.] The Robbins neighborhood has remained a preaching place ever since. In 1834 a log
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church was built and called Mt. Pleasant-it was about twenty-four by thirty feet, and in 1870 this was replaced by the present frame of about thirty-six by fifty feet, at a cost of three thousand dollars. [This is the church four miles south of Greensburg.] The most remarkable revival at this place was conducted by Landy Cravens, when sixty persons united with the church. Rev. George Winchester, the present [1881] pastor of the Greensburg church, to which this society belongs, says it is the strongest society on the circuit. It now [188[] has a membership of eighty and is properous. [This whole paragraph seems to have no connection with the Greensburg church, but it given just as Rev. Tinsley wrote it. ]
"Aaron Wood succeeded Mr. Murray for two months in the fall of 1823. He preached at Greensburg, Robbin's, McClain's, Emlie's, John Mil- ler's and John Shultz's in the county. Mr. Wood attended camp meeting on Shultz land, September 22, 1823, but, meeting Jesse Hale at Jolin Havens' house, he found he [Wood] was in the bounds of Mr. Hale's circuit and withdrew. [At this point in the narrative of Rev. Tinsley he gives a list of the pastors of the Greensburg church from 1822 to 1866, and then a list of those serving the First Methodist church up to the time his article was written in 1881. The complete list of pastors will be given later in the chapter.]
"Father Robbins and Ezra Lathrop recollect the preaching of Jesse Hale at Col. Thomas Hendricks' house, where all preachers were welcome. Mr. Hendricks was a Presbyterian, yet a generous-hearted gentleman. His first cabin was situated near where Porter's old saw-mill stood. He built the first house on the public square and invited the preaching to that house. John Havens, a local preacher, who supplied the circuit, probably organized the first class. It consisted, perhaps, of Jacob Stewart and wife, Silas Stew- art and wife, John Ford and wife, Jared P. Ford and wife, Martin and Nancy Jamison, Isaac Plue and - Plue. John F. Roszell and his brother Nehemiah were members in 1826. John Ford was class leader and a good one. The Roszells and Plues were blacksmiths-the former the first in the county.
"Rev. Joseph Tarkington was appointed to the circuit, then called the Rushville circuit, in the fall of 1829. William Evans, his assistant, was married by Tarkington, the latter still being single. Evans lived in a log cabin on the corner of Franklin and Central avenues. Brother Tarkington's first sermon was in the grand jury room of the court house-southwest upper room. There were about thirty persons present. This room was frequently used by the Presbyterians and Baptists. Reverend Lowrey was
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the Presbyterian minister and Rev. Daniel Stogsdale, the Baptist minister. Jacob Stewart was the class leader and steward. James Freeman was a local preacher. It was a four-weeks' circuit."
Thus closes the history of "Methodism in Greensburg." as written by Rev. Charles Tinsley in 1881. He devotes two pages and a half to a brief summary of the lives of Joseph Tarkington, Asbury Wilkinson and Lewis Hurlbut, but of the history of the church since 1829 there is no account. It is to be regretted that he did not go into a discussion of the memorable division of 1866. but of this schism he makes no mention whatever, nor, of course, says anything of the split in the Centenary church in 1877. It is to be hoped that the Reverend Tinsley was a better preacher than he was a historian. In this "Church Record" is given a list of the probationers from March 7, 1863 ( Martha Carter ), to August 28, 1892 ( David Mason Mur- phy ). There is a record of several classes, but most of them are undated, the last date appearing being September, 1887. A\n "AAlphabetical Record of Members in Full Connection" occupies several pages and was evidently started after the division in 1866, since the first date noticed is October 6, 1867. The last date of the reception of a member is June 12. 1892. Thirty- four marriages are recorded, dating from December 25, 1867 ( William I. Grant and Indiana Mendenhall), to June 8, 1873 (Tamor MeGranahan and Ellen Millis). The ministers have indicated the fees they received and it seems that the bridegrooms rated their brides at varying values. Some paid the minister nothing. some one dollar, other two dollars, several ten dollars and one man (Albert T. Beck ) gladdened the preacher's heart with twenty dollars.
FIRST METHODIST CHURCH ( 1829-1915).
The Methodists gradually grew in strength and influence from the beginning and when the schism of 1866 occurred they were by far the strongest church in the city. The first house of worship was built on lot 66 in 1834. The lot was purchased, February 23, 1834, for twenty-five dollars. This remained the home of the congregation until 1849, when a two-story brick, forty-five by sixty feet, was built on the lot now occupied by the church. For a quarter of a century the congregation worshipped in this buikling and it was while they were still using it that dissension arose which ultimately divided the congregation. During Doctor Gillett's pastorate arrangements were made to erect a new house of worship.
The present building was finished and dedicated on December 12, 1875. Bishop Bowman, of St. Louis, preached the dedicatory sermon and the news-
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paper account of the meeting says, "Many wept as the eloquent bishop touched the sympathies of the many hearts that were moved by his elo- quence." Reverend Johnson, of Spring Hill, and Rev. C. P. Jemkins, of Centenary, were in the pulpit. Hon. Will Cumback made a statement at the close of the sermon that the church had cost thirty thousand dollars and that twenty-two thousand seven hundred dollars had already been raised. There was still two thousand dollars of unpaid pledges. The Bishop asked for six thousand dollars and the generous assemblage raised four hundred dollars more than this amount before the meeting closed. David Lovett and Doctor Bracken gave five hundred dollars each; Mr. Cumback, Walter Bra- den, John and William Thomas, three hundred dollars each. The building is fifty by ninety feet and will accommodate six hundred in the auditorium. The church spent about six thousand dollars in improvements in 1912. The present membership is about seven hundred.
THE SCHISM OF 1866.
History records that every innovation introduced into our social fabric is met with more or less opposition. An enumeration of all the causes which have lead to schisms in churches would reveal some very interesting things. Before the Civil War the question of slavery divided thousands of congre- gations into two rival camps. The use of intoxicants has been a prolific cause of dissension, and at least one church in Decatur county split on this question. Secret societies have been the means of creating hundreds of new congregations, especially in the United Brethren church. Missionary work, and even Sunday schools, have been opposed in Baptist churches in the past, and thus have arisen "Hardshell" and "Softshell" Baptists. But of all the nonsensical causes for church divisions, the question of music seems to the modern way of thinking the most ludicrous. Just why so many of our good forefathers should have thought that an organ was an instrument of the devil is hard to say-but they did. Not only were many of them violently op- posed to instrumental music, but they refused to associate in church relation- ship with those who countenanced such an innovation.
And the innocent organ-which today peals forth in both Methodist churches in Greensburg-was responsible for the schism of 1866. Christian charity and forbearance were thrown to the winds ; the precepts of the thir- teenth chapter of Corinthians were forgotten ; "love thy neighbor as thyself" was relegated to oblivion ; men and women who had worshipped in the same pews for years, who had knelt around the altar rail in humble confession to
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their Maker, now separated their ways. And the innocent organ was to blame.
CENTENARY METIIODIST CHURCH.
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