USA > Indiana > Johnson County > History of Johnson County, Indiana > Part 32
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The building, though unpretentious in appearance and style, was the abode of the King of Glory. It was often filled with His presence. In it He often manifested His power in the awakening and conversion of sinners, and in building up His saints in the faith and order of the gospel. It was occupied for twenty years as a sanctuary of God, and until the congregation took possession of their present house of worship.
THIRD HOUSE OF WORSHIP.
Although it is anticipating the order of events, I will here dispose of what I have to say in regard to the topic of houses of worship. The old church being in need of much repairing, and the center of population having changed by the springing up of a village some half a mile south of it, the
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congregation, early in the year 1852, took into consideration the propriety . of erecting a new sanctuary. The conclusion was to build in the village, and this lot was selected as the site. Preparations for building were at once be- gun, and the work of erecting the house, forty by sixty feet, was commenced in the ensuing spring, and pushed on to completion, under the superintend- ence of Isaac Smock, John R. Smock and W. H. Wishard, as a building committee, at a cost of about two thousand five hundred dollars.
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The house was solemnly consecrated to the worship of the one living and true God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, on September 17, 1853. The services of the occasion were as follows: Invocation and reading, select passages of Scripture, by the pastor. Prayer by Rev. Henry Little, of Madison. Sermon by Rev. Geo. M. Maxwell, then of Indianapolis, from Ist Tim. 3:15. Prayer of dedication by the pastor. On the 13th of October, following, the synod of Indiana met in this house in annual session, Rev. Ransom Hawley, moderator.
STATISTICS.
The church, as already stated, was organized with nine members. No additions were made to the little flock for more than two years. The vine, in the meantime, was taking root, and it now began to grow and bring forth fruit. Additions began to be made, both by certificate and examination. These additions were frequent and sometimes in large numbers, so that dur- ing the first fourteen years after the organization of the church, to the time when I took charge of it, the number of members that had been received was 208, viz : On examination, 119, and on certificate, 89. When I came to the church there were 114 names on the roll of the church, so far as could be ascertained from the imperfect state of the records; consequently, up to that time, 84 members had been dismissed or had died. Of the 114 members, when I came, only 18 are in communion now. The whole number of mem- bers received since I began my labors in this church is 223; viz: On exam- ination, 155; on certificate, 68; making the whole number of members, since the organization of the church, 431, viz : On examination, 274; on certificate, 157.
The number of deaths since January 1, 1840, of members of the church, is 55: of dismissals. 147: of suspensions, 26. The whole number of members, at this time, is 108.
Of the 114 who were members of the church when I took charge of it,
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about one-half are dead, making a total since the organization of the church, of more than 100 communicants who have gone to the eternal world. The greatest number of members received in one year, is 48, viz : on examination, 28; on certificate, 20. This was in the year 1830, during the ministry of Rev. W. W. Woods. The next largest number admitted in one year is 32, viz : on examination, 28; on certificate, 4.
There have been but four years, since the organization of the church, in which no additions were made to it, viz : 1826, 1827, 1835. and 1848. The average number admitted to the church during each of the twenty-five years of my ministry, is a small fraction less than nine; of this number, a fraction over six were received on examination.
An analysis of these statistics suggests some interesting and useful re- flections.
I. Notice the coincidence between the number of members in the church twenty-five years ago, and the number belonging to it now-nearly the same. The church is numerically no stronger now than it was then. Our loss by dismission. suspension and death has exceeded the additions. Still there has been growth. As has been stated, 223 persons have been added to it during this period. If, therefore, there has been no diminution of our members, the church would have had on her rolls, today, nearly 350 members. Where are they? Some of them have gone to their final account, and of these. many we have reason to believe, have gone "to the General Assembly and Church of the first-born, which are written in heaven." The greater part of them are scattered in various parts of the country. many of them being useful mem- bers of other branches of the church of our Lord Jesus Christ, and others have gone back to the world.
This large depletion of our numbers, by removal, is a proof of the unset- tled state of our western population, and suggests one great difficulty in build- ing up large and stable churches in the west. Our population is fluctuating. Every man is ready to sell when he can get his price, and seek his fortune in other parts of the country, chiefly with the hope of improving his temporal condition, and in so doing, some pitch their tents toward Sodom. Thus the churches are weakened and often become extinct. But amidst all these changes, it is a great relief to know that in the orderings of the great Head of the Church, these scattered sheep are gathered into other folds, or become centers around which other churches are gathered.
2. We are reminded that the church lives though her members die. The good man is immortal till his work is done. Likewise the church is inde-
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structible till her redemption is complete. This branch of Zion was planted nearly forty years ago, and though many of its members sleep in the grave, and many more have gone out from us to other portions of the great vine- yard, it still survives, and when all the present members are gone, we believe it will live, a blessing to successive generations, and a light to the world.
3. While there is abundant reason for gratitude to God for His favor shown to this church, there is still greater reason for humiliation before Him. While we rejoice in all the good that has been accomplished, how much more might have been done if there had been more faith and zeal on the part of its ministers and members. While many have been hopefully born again, and trained for heaven, how many have lived and died without hope, and how many are still living among us impenitent and without God in the world?
It is proper, in closing this review of these statistics, to remark that at no time has the church enjoyed much more than one-half of the time and la- bors of its ministers. Far greater results might have been realized if the un- divided labors of its ministers could have been bestowed on this field.
BAPTISMS.
I have baptized, in connection with this church, 46 adults and 155 infants.
MARRIAGES.
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In the last twenty-five years, I have married 116 couples, and during my whole ministry I have solemnized 122 marriages.
FUNERALS.
I have kept no account of the funerals I have attended, or of funeral sermons I have preached. The whole number exceeds, by several fold, the number of marriages.
SERMONS.
I have preached to this congregation not less than 1,800 or 2,000 sermons.
CHANGE OF NAME.
In consequence of the name of Greenfield having been given to the shire town of Hancock county, the name of the postoffice and. subsequently. of the
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church, was changed to Greenwood. The precise dates of these changes I have not been able to ascertain.
SABBATH SCHOOL.
The Sabbath school was organized soon after the first house of worship was built, and has been maintained, without serious interruption, to the present time. Many children and youth have been instructed in it, in the knowledge of God's word. What the results of that instruction have been will be known only in eternity. Though it has not received the moral and pecuniary sup- port of the congregation which its importance and efficiency demanded, the Sabbath school has been a nursery in which plants of righteousness have been reared for the garden of the Lord on earth, and for Paradise above. The superintendents, so far as I have learned, have been James Smock, Cornelius Smock, John L. Carson, John Q. Smock. Robert Todd, W. H. Wishard, Caleb Beckes and A. C. Woods.
OTHER CHURCHES.
For several years this church was the only ecclesiastical organization in this vicinity. The population was homogeneous, and the people were almost unanimous in their preference for Presbyterianism. On March 30, 1833, the New Providence church was organized by Rev. W. W. Woods, with 23 mem- bers; of this number, 22 were set off from this church by order of presbytery. The daughter has lived in harmony with the mother church, and has usually enjoyed the labors of the same minister. It has been blessed with a good degree of prosperity. It has shared in the changes and fluctuations so com- mon to western churches. In the division of the Presbyterian church, in 1838, it was rent in twain. It numbers at present about fifty members. The name of the church has been changed to Southport.
The Baptist church was instituted at this place July 17, 1839, with 18 members. The whole number of members that have belonged to it is 224. The present number of members is 103. Their present pastor is Rev. E. S. Riley.
The Methodist Episcopal church was organized December 21. 1850, by the late Rev. E. D. Long. The present number of members is 46. The pastor in charge is Rev. James M. Crawford.
"The Second Presbyterian church, of Greenwood. Old School," was organized by a committee of presbytery, March 11, 1854, with 8 members.
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The whole numbers of members that have been received into it is 26. The present number of members is 15. It has been without a minister for a con- siderable period.
"The Christian Church," of Greenwood was organized April 29, 1860, with 41 members. The present number of members is 60. Their minister is Prof. R. T. Brown.
With all these churches we have lived in harmony, and our relations have never been more fraternal than at the present time.
OFFICERS OF THE CHURCH-RULING ELDERS.
The following list comprises the names of those who have exercised the office of ruling elder, in this church, with the time of their continuing in office : Garret Brewer, ordained December 31, 1825, died June 16, 1860. James Smock, ordained December 31, 1825, died February 9, 1830. Alexander Wilson, ordained March 4, 1829, resigned March 6, 1830 ..
Cornelius Smock, ordained March 6, 1830, dismissed February 15, 1839- Garret Sorter, ordained March 6, 1830. $
John Sebern, ordained March 6, 1830, dismissed March 30, 1833.
John L. Carson, installed June 16, 1833, died August 11, 1836.
Abraham V. Brewer, ordained November 20, 1836, resigned December 26, 1841.
Samuel Eccles, ordained November 20, 1836, dismissed June 17, 1855. John R. Smock, ordained January 30, 1842.
John P. Garr, ordained January 30, 1842, dismissed May, 1845.
William H. Wishard, ordained May 25, 1845, dismissed January 5, 1861. Robert Todd, ordained May 25, 1845, dismissed Octobeer 22, 1855.
John T. McClintick, ordained January 18, 1852, dismissed January 30, 1854.
Caleb Beckes, ordained April 1, 1854, dismissed November 6, 1859. Thomas B. Noble, ordained April 1, 1854.
Woodford A. Woods, ordained October 6, 1860.
Joseph M. Wishard, ordained October 6, 1860.
David S. Whitenack, ordained October 6, 1860.
The present eldership consists of Garret Sorter, John R. Smock, Thomas B. Noble, Woodford A. Woods, Joseph M. Wishard and David S. Whitenack. (21)
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DEACONS.
William McGee, ordained March 4, 1829, died October, 1846 .. Garret Sorter, ordained March 4, 1829, resigned March 6, 1830.
Samuel Brewer, ordained March 6, 1830, dismissed March 30, 1833.
Samuel D. Comingore, ordained November 20. 1836, dismissed Septem- ber 4, 1864.
John Whitenack, ordained November 20, 1836, dismissed 1839. Peter Whitenack, ordained December, 1846.
John Brewer, ordained December, 1846.
Fielding R. Voris, dismissed February 2, 1853.
William Gregg, dismissed November 5. 1854.
Alfred C. Woods, dismissed November 5, 1854,
The present deacons of the church are Peter Whitenack. John Brewer. William Gregg and Alfred C. Woods.
PHYSICAL CHANGES.
The country was originally covered with a heavy and dense forest. It has required Herculean labor to open up the ground for cultivation. The original settlers had to endure great exposure and hardships, and subject them- selves to great privations. Twenty-four years ago the farms in this region were but partially opened, and scarcely any land was enclosed except what was cultivated with the plow. The people were very much isolated from the rest of the world. There were no stores or points of trade nearer than Indianapolis and Franklin, and those places afforded but indifferent markets for the produce of the country. To obtain their groceries and other neces- saries of life, the farmers had to transport their produce, in wagons, to the Ohio river and barter them, at very low rates. for such things as they needed.
For several years after I came here the greater part of the land on which the village of Greenwood stands was covered with the native forest. The village sprang up by the force of circumstances. It arose from the necessities of the country. The first dry-goods store established here was in 1845, by James W. Parker. The branches of mechanical industry, usually found in a country village, were soon afterwards introduced. The completion of the Madison & Indianapolis Railroad in the fall of 1847. gave an impetus to the village and to the industrial interests of the country. Of the two oldest dwellings in the village. I built the second in 1840, clearing away the native
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trees from the site. It is now owned and occupied by Grafton Johnson, Esq. I have thus witnessed the rise and growth of this village, and the wonderful improvement of the surrounding country in appearance, wealth and the com- forts of life.
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EDUCATION.
As will have been noticed, the school was established almost as soon as the church, and has been continued with but little interruption to the present time. And, though the standard of education in this community has never been as elevated as it should have been, and though our schools have not been of as high a grade as they should have been, they have maintained a position and an efficiency superior to those in most of the rural districts of the country. A considerable number of young men within my field of labor have been mem- bers, for a longer or shorter period, of Wabash College, three of whom have been regularly graduated from that institution. Of those, one is a minister of the gospel, one is a physician, and the other is in the army. It is a humili- ating fact that no one has entered the ministry from this church, and but one from the field of my labor. Rev. S. E. Wishard, of Tecumseh, Michigan.
THE ARMY.
The congregation has contributed more than twenty soldiers to the army of the country in this time of the nation's trial, of whom the greater part were members of the church. Of these two are ruling elders. and of the whole number three have fallen by disease contracted in the army.
REVIVALS.
This church is a vine of God's own planting. He has baptized it copiously with his grace. It has enjoyed many seasons of refreshing from the presence of the Lord. No special record has been kept of the many revivals of religion that have marked the history of the church. I know nothing of these revivals previous to my ministry here, except what may be inferred from the additions made to the church. from time to time from the world. The first general awakening seems seems to have taken place in 1829, in which year twenty- seven members were added to the church, twenty-one of whom were received on profession of faith. In the succeeding year there was a still more exten- sive work of grace, resulting in the addition of forty-eight members to the church. twenty-eight of them from the world. In the following year, 1831,
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another revival occurred, as the result of which, sixteen persons united with the church on examination. In 1833 the Holy Spirit was again poured out upon the congregation, by which seventeen were hopefully converted. Con- siderable accessions were made from the world in 1837, 1838 and 1839.
The first revival after I commenced my ministery was enjoyed in 1840, bringing seventeen into the church from the world. The two following years were also signalized by the visitations of the Divine Spirit, resulting in the addition of twenty in 1841, and nineteen in 1842 on examination. The years 1850 and 1853, were marked by seasons of special religious interest. The revival in 1856, resulted in larger additions to the church than from any season of refreshing enjoyed during my ministry. As the fruits of that work, twenty-eight persons were experienced in 1858, 1860 and 1862. And at other times there have been manifestations of the presence of the Holy Spirit, in his quickening and sanctifying influence. Although the most enlarged Christ- tian charity will not require or justify us in saying or believing, that all those who have been admitted to the church from the world have been born again, the evidence of a genuine work of grace in many hearts is too palpable to ad- mit of a doubt that God has put the seal of his favor upon the church in re- peated instances. And thus the church, under God, has been the spiritual mother of many precious souls. These repeated manifestations of the divine favor should encourage us to pray for new and more glorious outpourings of the Holy Spirit.
Camp meetings were held in the autumn of 1833 and 1834, a mile north of where we are, which were attended with much apparent interest and profit.
MINISTERS.
The church was without the regular ministration of the gospel for nearly three years after its organization. From the sermon preached by Rev. Isaac Reed on the day succeeding the organization of the church, we learn that he had been invited, and expected, "to form a ministerial relation" with the church. But, for reasons not given, the relation was not consummated. Mr. Reed was a pioneer in this state; he came into it in 1818. He traveled extensively in the state, and organized more churches in the state, probably. than any other man. He came to this state from Kentucky, though he was a native, I believe, of New York, He died January 14, 1858, in Olney, Illinois, after many years of arduous and unrequited toil. The church enjoyed the preaching of the word only occasionally. Among those who occasionally preached for the people was Rev. Mr. Duncan. He resided at Vevay, in this
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state. He was of Scotch descent, had been connected with the Associate or Associate Reformed church. He was a very sensible man, interesting and instructive in conversation, but not attractive as a preacher. He seems never to have had a charge, but he made frequent missionary excursions, and re- ceived such compensation as the people saw fit to give. He died more than thirty years ago, very suddenly and unexpectedly, at the house of a friend, a few miles north of Madison, where he had stopped merely to spend the night.
The first minister who regularly supplied the church seems to have been the Rev. Jeremiah Hill. He was a native of Maine, born June 7, 1793. He was a very wicked boy, and spent several years of his early manhood in the commission of acts of crime and gross immorality. He embraced the doc- trine of universal salvation, and then atheism. He went to western Pennsyl- vania, where he was the leader in every vice. He found a home in a pious family, through whose instrumentality, especially that of the mother, he was converted from the error of his ways. Burning with a desire to do something to advance the kingdom of Christ, after visiting his mother, he went to the Cherokee nation, among whom the American Board had established a mission. Not approving the manner in which the mission was conducted, he went to an- other place, built a cabin, cleared some ground, and collected some scholars. During the year he raised more corn and taught more scholars than they did at the mission without missionary aid. His course in regard to the mission soon brought him into notice, and he received encouragement and aid from Union presbytery, to enable him to acquire a partial education, which he ob- tained at Mayville, Tennessee. He was licensed by Union presbytery in the spring of 1826, and was probably ordained by the same body a short time after. He removed to Indiana in September, 1828, and took charge of the churches of Franklin and Hopewell, and he gave a part of his time to this church for several months, until the arrival of Rev. W. W. Woods, in January. 829. He then took an agency for the American Sunday School Union, and continued in that work about a year. In the latter part of 1830 he commenced laboring as stated supply in Bethany church in Owen county, and continued to labor in it, and in parts adjacent, till the spring of 1836. In July following he went to Brownstown. Soon after, he ceased from his labors. On the 22d of August, he left home to attend a sacramental meeting near Bedford. He was slightly unwell at the time, but at the request of the ministers present, he preached on the Sabbath, August 24th. Immediately after the sermon, which was an hour and a half in length. he was taken severely ill. and was conveyed to his lodging. He died on the following Sabbath, August 31, 1836. Mr.
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Hill, as a preacher, is represented to have been zealous, plain and pointed. He was at times uncouth and severe in his remarks, and he oftentimes gave great offense. But there was general confidence in his sincerity and piety, and his labors were blessed to the salvation of many souls.
Rev. William W. Woods succeeded Mr. Hill in this church. He com- menced his ministry to this church in June, 1829, and continued to supply it for four years, until May or June, 1833. He then took an agency for the American Sunday School Union for two years, from June, 1833, and after this he was agent for the American Tract Society for two years. In the fall of 1837, he removed to Putnamville, in this state, and in 1841 he settled in Iowa City, where he now resides. At present, he is chaplain in the army.
Mr. Woods was born in Washington county, Virginia, September 18, 1799; removed to Tennessee in 1812, graduated at Greenville College, Tennes- see, in 1826, and having studied theology previous to his graduation, he was licensed to preach in 1826 by Union presbytery, and was ordained by the same presbytery at Washington, Tennessee, in 1827. Mr. Woods' ministry to this church of four years was very successful in building up the church; more than one hundred members were added to it on examination and certificate within that period.
After Mr. Woods gave up the charge of the church, Rev. Hillary Patrick supplied the pulpit of the church for six months, having charge of the school at the same time. At the close of that period, he removed to Mississippi. He now resides in Tamaroa, Illinois. The church was in a flourishing state while under his charge; additions were made to it, but how many. I have not been able to ascertain.
Rev. Eliphalet Kent succeeded Mr. Patrick. He received a call, in due form, from the church to become its pastor. I have not been able to learn the precise date at which he began his ministry here; but on May 9th, 1834, he was installed the first pastor of the church by the Indianapolis presbytery. Sermon by Rev. Mr. Herd, and charge to the pastor and people by Rev. W. W. Woods.
Mr. Kent was born in Dorset, Vermont, March 17, 1800; graduated at Williams College in 1825; pursued his theological course at Auburn Seminary ; was licensed to preach by the Berkshire ( Mass. ) Association in 1829, and was ordained shortly afterwards by the Rutland (Vt.) Association. He came to Indiana in the fall of 1829, and spent a year as a home missionary in Barthol- omew and Shelby counties. After that his labors were confined to Shelby county, until his removal to this field. His labors were much blessed in the
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building up and organization of several churches in Shelby county. He re- signed his pastoral office in 1839, and at the meeting of the presbytery in Octo- ber of that year, the relation between him and this church was dissolved. He returned immediately to Shelby county, where he continues to reside. His pastorate was a fruitful one; upwards of seventy members were added to the church during the six years of his ministry. During most of this time, Mrs. Kent had charge of the school. She was an excellent and successful teacher, and her memory is fragrant in the hearts of many of her pupils at this day.
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