USA > Indiana > History of Maria Creek Church compiled from the records of the church and from the minutes of Wabash and Union Associations > Part 5
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. By order of the Church, JOSEPH CHAMBERS, Mod.
March 17, 1832. The following letter was received from the church at Bruceville.
"The Church of Christ at Bruceville to her sister church at Maria Creek, Greeting:
. Whereas, it appeared from the letter of dismission that was received by those that made application, that liberty was given to any of your members that wished to unite with us in a constitution to do so; and accordingly the following persons came forward and had their names en- rolled, to-wit: William Polke, Sally Polke, Nancy Polke, Jesse Hollingsworth, Betsy Lindsey, Sally Threldkill, Robert Lemen, Jane Lemen, Rhoda Morris, Nancy Ruby, Michael Crooks, Samuel D. Piety and Eliza Piety. By order of the church, March 11th 1832.
WILLIAM BRUCE, Acting Clk.
This organization at Bruceville was constituted, as they declared, upon the Bible alone. They made no declara- tion of doctrines or written Articles of Faith, to distin- guish themselves from any other denomination whatever either Protestant or Catholic; or as to their understanding of what the Bible taught upon any of the leading doctrines of the Gospel.
They very soon, however, began to declare from their
HISTORY OF MARIA CREEK CHURCH.
Pulpit what they understood the Bible to teach, and to condemn all who did not agree with them.
When they attacked, not only the propriety of written Articles of Faith, but the doctrines and principles set forth in the Articles of Faith of Maria Creek Church, she felt that some action of the church was necessary in regard to her relations with the Bruceville organization. Accordingly at the July meeting
following the organization at Bruceville, "Bro. Samuel Chambers brought forward for the conside- ration of the Church, the relation in which the Bruce- ville Church stands to Maria Creek Church; and whether, under existing circumstances, we invite them to seats and communion with Maria Creek Church. After some con- versation the Church agrees to refer the matter to her next meeting."
"The Church directs the Clerk to draw off the Articles of Faith and rules of decorum on our Church Book." "August 18th, 1832. The reference from our last meeting respecting the relationship in which the Bruce- ville Church stands toward Maria Creek Chuch, called for and read to the church. After reading a letter from Bro. William Polke, a member of the Bruceville Church, the Bruceville members present invited to seats, and have the privilege of speaking on the subject to be discussed in re- gard to their relations to. Maria Creek Church.
"After spending several hours of investigation on the above reference, on motion of Bro. Samuel Chambers the
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following decision was concurred in by a majority of the church. The church are of opinion that under all the cir- cumstances attendant therein, as some of her members have conscientious scruples on the subject, that it would be improper at present to invite the members of the Bruce- ville Church to our Couneils or Communion Table. We hope that the members of both churches will endeavor to conduct themselves in a way that will be most likely to bring about a more happy state of things."
This hope was not to be realized. The professed reason for the division of the church was a difference of opinion as to the utility of written articles of faith. But it soon became apparent that there was a wide difference of opin- ion as to doctrine. The party that went off from the church very soon attacked, not only the utility or proprie- ty of written articles of faith, but the doctrines contained in them, and began to promulgate and teach doctrines and principles widely at variance with those professed and taught by Baptist churches. The Baptists defended their doctrines, and very often retaliated by attacking and con- demning the doctrines of the Reformers, as they at that time called themselves. So that, instead of conducting themselves in a way to bring about a better state of things, the breach widened. Bitterness came up between them, and all hope of any reconciliation was destroyed. The Reformers made every effort possible to proselyte from the Baptist churches. The writer well remembers hearing one of their prominent preachers say from the pulpit more
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than once, that they were especially glad to receive mem- bers coming from the Baptist church.
They were for awhile successful in proselyting from Maria CreekChurch. It appeared at one time as if they would almost entirely absorb the whole church. During the two years and six months after the organization at Bruceville, at which time twenty-six members went out, the records show that thirty-six additional members had left Maria Creek Church to join that organization. It is probable that there were others, not mentioned in the rec- ords, that had left to join that, or some other like organi- zation. In Feb., 1833, a number of the members living on Shaker prairie, requested and obtained letters, for the pur- pose of organizing a church. This whole church, after its organization, went over to the Reformers.
In August, 1835, two years and six months after the or- ganization at Bruceville, there remained in Maria Creek Church, eighty-six members.
In Feb., 1834, the following record appears on her church book:
"On motion of Brother Joseph Chambers, the church agreed to reconsider the vote of the church passed on the Third Saturday in July, 1829, to-wit: That the believing or not believing in the utility of written Articles of Faith should be no bar to fellowship (see page 70). When, on motion of Bro. William Hargis, agreed to strike out this supplement (so called) to our Articles of Faith simply
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with a view to restore the Articles of Faith of this church to their proper place and influence as at our first constitution."
It is to be said of Maria Creek Church, that in all this unhappy dissention and division, she was never the ag- gressor. At the commencement of the trouble she ex- hibited a liberal and Christian spirit towards the discon- tented members, in declaring, although she was constituted on written Articles of Faith, that the belief or disbelief in their utility, should be no bar to fellowship; and when they finally determined to leave the church and form a separate organization, gave them letters and dismissed them in all Christian kindness; and this too, when it was altogether probable they knew that those they were thus kindly dis- missing, would in the end prove to be enemies that would turn against them, and seek the utter destruction of Maria Creek Church. During these troubles and while the rapid defection of members was going on, some of the mem- bers that remained, became very much discouraged. The writer of these lines has heard some of them say they felt sometimes like giving up. But converted men and women, filled with the Spirit of Christ, could not give up. The love of the truth constrained them to continue the strug- gle, and besides this, there were too many tender mem- ories clustering around the old church. In it they had toiled and labored for the Master. In it they had rejoiced and been made happy by exhibitions of God's love and mercy. In it they had prayed and wept together. The old church was too dear to them to be abandoned to its ene-
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mies. And so they labored on, and by the blessing of God maintained the organization of the church, with all its principles unimpaired, to be a home and a blessing for their children and children's children.
It is to be further said of these controversies; viz: The missionary controversy, and the controversy about creeds, that a false issue was presented by the party opposed to missions, and by the party opposed to creeds. The anti- mission spirit of the one, and unbelief in the doctrines of the Articles of Faith of the other, were at the bottom of these controversies; as the subsequent history of these porties abundantly prove. The talk about the methods of the missionaries, and the utilityof creeds, were but pre- texts, that in some measure obscured for the time, the real grounds of difference. But let it be remembered to the honor of Maria Creek Church, that throughout these con- tentions and trials she remained steadfast and true to the principles and spirit of missions, and to the doctrines of the Gospel as set forth in her Articles of Faith. "And the rain decended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house, and it fell not, for it was founded upon a rock."
CHAPTER VI.
The pastorate of Alexander Evans terminated in May, 1832. From this time until April, 1834, the church was without a pastor. They had occasional preaching by El- ders Brice Fields and M. Fairfield.
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In Oct., 1833, the church agreed to hold a meeting once per month at Edwardsport, and from that time until April, 1843, the church met for business twice in each month alternately at Maria Creek and Edwardsport.
Elder William Stansel was called to the pastorate of the church in May, 1834, and continued in that office until 1839. He received into the fellowship of the church du- ring this time fifty members.
The church house on Maria Creek was no longer cen- trally located, nearly all the members living east of it, and in Nov., 1835, the Church changed their place of meeting to a school house near Joseph Chambers'.
From 1839 to April, 1841, the Church was again with- out a pastor, but had occasional preaching by Elders Wm. Stansel, A. Stark, M. Betts, and John Graham.
At the last mentioned date, Elder Stansel was again em- ployed by the Church one-fourth of his time at Edwards- port. In April, 1841, sixteen members of the Church were dismissed for the purpose of organizing Indian Creek Church.
In June, 1841, a movement was made to build a house at Edwardsport. A lot was purchased and a house partly erected; but from various causes was never completed, and the property was afterwards sold. The old brick church on Maria Creek was fast going to decay, and at the time the movement was made to build at Edwardsport, meas- ures were taken to save, in some way, the old house. These measures resulted in its removal to the present lo-
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cation of Maria Creek Church. It was said by some of the Reformers that the Baptists did not act right in this matter; that they had contributed to the building of the old house, and that the Baptists ought to pay them some- thing. In reference to this the following record will be of interest, and show the facts in the case:
"August 13, 1842. The following motion made by Alexander Chambers, that Joseph Chambers, Joseph Wil- lis and John Keith are hereby requested and directed to attend to the property on Maria Creek; to make sale, rebuild or repair, as the interests of the church may re- quire, after consulting the interests of all parties connect- ed therewith, and endeavor to save the house, to the satis- faction of all who may feel an interest in the same, and re- port their proceedings monthly to the church."
"April, 1843. The committee appointed to attend to the old meeting house report as follows, to-wit: The under- signed committee appointed to take charge of the old meeting house and sell it if a fair price could be had for it, would now report, that James Polke, on the part of the Reform Church, proffers to give seventy-five dollars in trade on or before next Christmas; or they will take fifty dollars in the same kind of pay.
JOSEPH CHAMBERS, for Com."
"After hearing the above report the church say that she is not willing to accede to either of the above offers." "June 17th, 1843. Whereas we have been this day in- formed that some of the members of the reform church at- tended our last meeting for the purpose of making some
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further propositions concerning the Brick Meeting House. On motion the church appointed Brethren Joseph Cham- bers, John Keith and David Chambers, a committee, who are authorized to transact any and all business that may be necessary with the said reform church, concerning the property of Maria Creek Church vested in the old Brick Meeting House; and to enter into writings with them, and as far as possible bring the whole subject to a close upon fair and honorable principles, as near as can be done."
"July, 1843. The committee appointed to make some arrangements with the reform church about the old meet- ing house, report as follows, to-wit: We the undersigned com- mittee, appointed by Maria Creek Church to make offers of the Old Brick Meeting House to the Reform brethren in the vicinity of said house, as some acted liberally in building the same. The following are the terms on which .we propose to let the said reform church have our right and title to the ground and all the property attached to said meeting house. We will submit the valuation of the property to disinterested men, and take one-half of the value thereof in materials, such as lumber and shingles, at the market price, delivered at such place as may be direct- ed by the building committee of Maria Creek Church, for the purpose of erecting a new house, but under no circum- stances will we agree to pay anything for the old house, and then move and rebuild the same.
Joseph Chambers, John Keith,
Committee."
David Chambers,
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This proposition was not accepted; so it appears that both parties thought it was all the old house was worth to either move it and rebuild, or to repair it where it stood; accordingly Maria Creek Church, holding the legal title to the property, proceeded to take the old house down and re- build it on the lot now occupied by a new church, erected in 1859.
During the year 1842 Elder Herring visited and preached occasionally for the church. In August of this year the Church was very much gratified by a visit of her first pastor, Elder Isaac McCoy, who was, at this time, la- boring as a missionary among the Indians west of the Missouri river. He was bent with age and feeble in body, ready to be called home, and could say, with Paul, "He had fought a good fight and kept the faith."
Soon after the expiration of Elder Stansel's year at Edwardsport, in April, 1842, the church discontinued her regular meetings at that place, but continued to hold oc- casional meetings there, as quite a number of her mem- bers resided in that vicinity.
In Jan., 1843, Elder Murdock McRae was invited to preach at the regular monthly meetings at Maria Creek, and in Jan., 1844, was called and accepted the pastoral care of the church; which office he continued to fill, to the general satisfaction of the church, until Feb., 1851. During his pastorate the church was reasonably prosper- ous, having received into its fellowship one hundred and nine members. There were some difficulties came up in the church that, for awhile, seriously threatened its peace
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and harmony, but by careful management and the exercise of a Christian spirit by the parties concerned, they were amicably settled.
Elder McRae had the assistance, during his pastorate, of occasional preaching by Elders Wm. Stansel, John Gra- ham, Daniel Stark, and B. B. Arnold. Under the preach- ing of Elders McRae and Arnold, a number of members living about eight miles north-east of Maria Creek, where there had once been a Baptist church, called Shiloh, were received into Maria Creek Church. In March, 1851, six- teen of these members were dismissed, who organized Bethel Church.
At the termination of Elder McRae's pastorate, Elder Stansel was preaching as a missionary in Union Associa- tion, and preached occasionally for the church, until Jan., 1853, at which time he again took the pastoral charge of the church, and continued to serve the church as pastor, until March, 1855, being occasionally assisted by Elders McRae, Robb and Elkana Allen.
Elder J. L. Irwin was next called to the pastorate and preached for the church until April, 1856, at which time he removed to Minnesota. The year following, the church had occasional preaching by Elders James Hooper, McRae, Robb and Stansel. In June, 1857, Elder J. L. Irwin re- turned, and again became pastor of the church, which office he continued to fill until August, 1860.
In Nov., 1858, the church was called to mourn the death of Deacon Joseph Chambers. Bro. Chambers had united with Maria Creek Church Jan., 1811, and for forty-seven
HISTORY OF MARIA CREEK CHURCH.
years lived a devoted Christian life in the church; always working for her interest, and for the building up and the extension of Christ's Kingdom. He had filled acceptably to the church the offices of Deacon, Moderator and Clerk. He was an industrious, honest, earnest, pious, devoted Christian man, and by his labors, his counsels and his ex- ample did more for Maria Creek Church than any other one member since her organization, and had the inex- pressable happiness of seeing his whole family of eleven children baptized into the church.
In June, 1858, eighteen members were dismissed to go into the organization of a church at Edwardsport.
A large and substantial brick church-house was erected in the year 1859 at Maria Creek.
The period from 1850 to 1860 was peaceful and prosper- ous for the church. She received into her fellowship dur- ing that time one hundred and twenty-seven members. Among them I find the name of T. J. Keith, who joined the church in March, 1856, when quite young. During the war of 1861-5 he served his country as a soldier. Upon his return home he went to Shurtleff College, at Upper Alton, Ills., where he was graduated in the Theological department of that institution, immediately after which he entered the ministry; and in 1871 he, with his wife, was sent by the Baptist Board of Foreign Missions to India, where he remained four years and nine months, un- til his health became impaired, when he returned to the United States, and at the present time is pastor of the Baptist Church at Vincennes, Indiana.
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In Nov., 1860, Elder Robert Moore was called to the pastorate of the Church.
The excitement upon the political questions, the seces- sion movement, and the war that followed, and which more or less seriously affected the churches all over the land, had its effect on Maria Creek Church as on other churches. Her members were almost, if not quite all, in sym- pathy with the Government in its prosecution of the war. They were, in the language of the time, Unionists. And when two members from another Baptist Church, who had been excluded in consequence of difficulties growing out of the political questions of the time, presented them- selves for membership, under the excitement of the time, and moved by their sympathies for these excluded breth- ren, and believing it was right under the circumstances that existed at that time, she received them into her fel- lowship. At her next meeting nine more members from the same church presented themselves, not having been excluded, but without letters of dismission, they also were received.
All these were received without consulting the church from which they came.
This action of Maria Creek Church cannot be justified according to Baptist usage, nor Christian courtesy. It can only be excused, and that on account of the excite- ment of the time. This, it is supposed, the church from which these members came did; as they never made any complaint. After the war was over and the excitement
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had subsided, Maria Creek Church passed the follow- ing resolution:
"Resolved, that the action of the Church heretofore in receiving excluded members from sister churches, shall not be made a precedent governing the future action of the Church in like cases."
April, 1864. Warren C. Keith was granted a license to preach; and in Feb., 1866, was ordained by Maria Creek Church to the work of the ministry. Brother Keith had joined Maria Creek Church by baptism in 1852. Imme- diately after his ordination he took the pastoral care of In- dian Creek Church. This church dissolved in 1870 and reorganized at Bicknell, on the I. & V. R. R. Elder Keith continued as pastor of the Church after its reorgan- ization. Ile also preached for various Churches in Union Association up to the time of his death, which occurred April the 28th, 1874, aged 55 years.
Elder Keith was a devoted, pious man and a good preacher; and although he had no educational advantages in early life, he was a close thinker, a careful student of the Bible and a great reader. Consequently he accumu- lated a large amount of biblical and useful knowledge and a good stock of sound theology. His funeral was preached by Elder F. Slater, from Revelations xiv chap. and 13th verse, "And I heard a voice saying unto me, Write, blessed are the dead that die in the Lord from henceforth; yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them."
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Elder Moore was continued as pastor of the church until Sept., 1867. During his pastorate, sixty-three mem- bers were added to the church. His ministry was very ac- ceptable to the church and at the time of his resignation, (Sept., 1867,) the following resolutions were passed by the church:
"Resolved, That in parting with Brother Moore, who has been our efficient pastor for nearly seven years, in building up the church, and in the ingathering of precoius souls, we sustain a loss not easily filled.
2d. We hereby recommend him to those with whom his lot may be cast, as a faithful minister of the Gospel of Christ.
3d. That these resolutions be recorded on the church book, and a copy be given to Brother Moore, and a copy sent to the Christian Times and Witness for publication."
From Sept., 1867, to Dec., 1867, the church was again without a pastor. At the later date Elder Wm. Stansel was, for the fourth time, called to the pastorate of the church. He was continued as pastor until Sept., 1869. Elder Wm. Stansel was pastor of Maria Creek Church in all ten years. He also preached frequently for the church in the times intervening between his pastorates.
Elder Stansel was a man greatly beloved by Maria Creek Church. His preaching was always acceptable to them; a man of fine social qualities, beloved by all, but especially by the young people, over whom he always wielded a strong influence for good, and withal an earnest, faithful minister of the Gospel of Christ.
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From Sept., 1869, the church had no pastor, until March, 1870, at which time Elder J. L. Irwin was again called to the pastorate; and served the church as pastor and moder- ator until Nov., 1872. During this period the church moved along quietly, and thirty-one members were re- ceived into the fellowship of the church. Elder Irwin was three times pastor of the church, and served the church altogether in that office seven years and two months. He was much esteemed as a man and as a min- ister by the church, and by all with whom he came in con- tact. He was a faithful minister of the Gospel.
The church was again without a pastor until March, 1873, when Elder F. Slater took pastoral charge of the church for one year, at the expiration of which time Elder G. W. Melten was called to the pastorate, and preached for the church until Dec., 1874.
Jan., 1875, Elder A. C. Edwards was called, and for two years served the church, preaching both at the church and at Freelandville, two miles north-east of the church.
During Bro. Edwards' pastorate twenty members were added to the Church.
At the expiration of Brother Edwards' time (Jan., 1877) Elder R. A. Taylor was called and accepted the pastorate. He preached for the church until the following August, in which time six members were added to the church.
For some cause unknown to the church Elder Taylor abandoned the pastorate, leaving the church without a pastor until April, 1878, when Elder A. B. Robertson was called to the pastorate, and preached for the church until Dec., 1878.
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Feb., 1879, Elder J. W. Hammack was called to the pas- torate and served the church until Dec., 1881. During his pastorate thirty-four members were added to the church. At the termination of Elder Hammack's pasto- rate, the church employed Elijah Sanford, a licentiate of the Edwardsport Baptist Church, to preach for them one- half of his time as a supply, and in April, 1882, Elder C. B. Allen was called to the pastorate and preached to church in conjunction with Brother Sanford, until Dec., 1882.
In Feb., 1883, Elder Sanford, having in the mean time been ordained, took pastoral charge of the church and re- mains until the present time, (Jan. 1st, 1889,) their ef- ficient and beloved pastor.
Since Elder Sanford commenced preaching for the church in Jan., 1882, she has received into her fellowship sixty-eight members.
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