USA > Missouri > Presbyterianism in the Ozarks : a history of the work of the various branches of the Presbyterian Church in Southwest Missouri, 1834-1907 > Part 13
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built there was a scarcity of money. The solicitor, who had been talking with the other members of the family, was leaving without presenting the subject to her. Aunt Hannah walked in with a half dollar in her hand, which she had taken from her scanty store, and said, 'Will this put in one brick?' "
This house was used so freely by different denominations after the war that an opinion gained some prevalence that it was originally built as a union church. It appears that numer- ous ranters abused the liberty granted them to preach by making efforts to demolish the Westminster Confession of Faith. In a discussion that was carried on in the town paper in 1868 the trustees laid down the principles on which the house could be freely used by other denominations, and made this financial statement :
"The house was built in the years A. D. 1854 and 1855, and the first cost of the building and furniture, with all subsequent repairs, amounts to the sum of $2,175; and the money which footed the bills came from the following sources, as appears from the original subscription lists still on hands, viz:
Members of the Presbyterian Church in Dade County. $1,191.00
Members of the Presbyterian Church in St. Louis 121.00
Members of the Presbyterian Church in Tennessee 10.00
Appropriated by Church Extension Board of Presbyterian Church 300.00
Total amount paid by Presbyterians $1,652.00
Total amount paid by liberal men of the world.
383.00
Total amount paid by Cumberland Presbyterians 70.50
Total amount paid by Methodists 47.00
Total amount paid by Baptists
22.50
Sum total
$2,175.00
After Rev. John McFarland came Rev. W. R. Fulton, 1861- 1878. Under his faithful ministrations the church survived th. ravages of war better than any other church of either branch of Presbyterianism in Southwest Missouri. In 1866 it numbered forty members and was the strongest church in the Presbytery of Southwest Missouri. In this historic church the Presbytery of Ozark and the Women's Presbyterian Society have had their birth, the former on the 29th of September, 1870, the latter Sep- tember, 1876.
Here, too, on the reunion of the Presbyterian and the Cum- berland Presbyterian churches, the new Presbytery was organ- ized June 18th, 1907.
The celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the church in the summer of 1892 brought to the old home many of her sons and daughters who had long since taken up their abode in dis- tant parts of the country. At that time there had been on the roll 373 names, but there had never been more than an average
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of 100 in any year since the organization. The celebration was held in the second house of worship which was erected under the ministry of the veteran church builder of Ozark Presbytery- Rev. G. H. Williamson-in 1884. Erected at a cost of $4,500, it is still a Bethel to numerous descendants of "those who saw the first house in its glory."
The anniversary services began with an address by Rev. W. S. Knight, D. D., of Carthage, entitled "Presbyterianism in Ozark Presbytery," The second day of the celebration Rev. Nelson A. Rankin, a son of the church, gave exceedingly interesting :ne- moirs of the church, and he was followed by W. L. Seroggs, at that time an elder for forty-four years, on "The Boys of the Church." Then came an address by Mrs. Mary McFarland, widow of Rev. John McFarland, and a veritable "mother in Israel," known and loved wherever the Presbyterial Society of. Ozark Presbytery has met. Her address was entitled "The Wo- men of the church. With these addresses before me I can scarcely keep my pen from reproducing them-in part at least, and then I would not know where to stop,-so I must content myself with culling from them for other parts of this story.
The afternoon of the second day was devoted to short talks and reminiscences and a poem written by Mrs. S. M. MeClure, entitled "Church Reminiscences of Fifty Years." In this poem the fortunes of the church are delineated, and the names of its leading members and of its ministers are interwoven with con- siderable skill. But it is too lengthy to reproduce here.
The ministers who have served the church are: V. Pentzer, 1844-46; John McFarland, 1848-60 ; William R. Fulton, ** 1861-78; B. F. Powelson, 1879-82; G. H. Williamson, 1882-85; John Foy, 1886; D. R. Crockett, 1887; W. G. Banker, 1887-90; John R. Gass, 1891-98; W. G. Moore, 1899-1902; William F. Bishop, 1903: E. E. Mathes, 1904-5; J. E. Johnston, 1905,-The latter took charge of the joint congregations of the Ebenezer Church and the Cum- berland Presbyterian Church with a view to effecting the union, which was consummated at the organization of the new Presby- tery of Ozark.
The subjoined list of ruling elders indicates the sons who have followed in the official footsteps of their fathers:
*. J. M. Rankin, 1842-1844. *W. W. Rankin, 1844-1850, *Nathan Wilkinson, 1842-1850. son of J. M. Removed.
*W. L. Scroggs. 1848.
*Jacob Montgomery, 1842 ( ?). *Thomas Ross. 1844.
*J. A. Strain, 1843-1859. Re- moved.
*M. A. Garrison, 1844.
*J. L. Rankin. 1851.
*A. M. Wilson, 1846-1858. *J. M. Mitchell. 1854.
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*John E. Mills, 1871. John E. Scroggs, 1894, son of W. L. S.
*Robert C. McMinn, 1871.
*Henry Merrill, 1875-1907.
F. H. Holland, 1900.
E. M. Kimber, 1900.
L. C. Davisson, 1900.
P. D. Stringfield, 1900, son of
John A. Ready, 1894. Re- M. L. Mitchell, 1900.
moved .
*Deceased. ** Probaly this should be 1860. A memorial states that Mr. Fulton served the church nearly nineteen years.
MOUNT VERNON (NOW OZARK PRAIRIE)-(LAWRENCE COUNTY).
Some twelve years after the organization of the Ebenezer Church her minister, Rev. John McFarland, organized a church at Mount Vernon, January 2d, 1854. The church was first called the Lawrence Hill Church, then Mount Vernon and later was changed to Ozark Prairie. The location as well as the name was changed, the former by reason of the disturbed condition inci- dent to the Civil War. The charter members were: Nathan Wilkerson, Rebecca W. (his wife), Samuel M. Anderson and wife Emily, William Orr and wife Jane, Mrs. Mary Johnson, Mrs. Vir- ginia Hash, Cyrus Poage and wife Mary, Rebecca A. Poage, Mrs. Sarah J. Orr, William H. Wilson and wife Isabella J.
Nathan Wilkerson, Samuel Anderson and Cyrus Poage were elected ruling elders. The staunchness of the Presbyterianism of these members is abundantly testified. Some of them prior to the organization trudged their way from Sabbath to Sabbath through "the wilderness" to Greenfield, where they were mem- bers of the Ebenezer Church. Their descendants are found in the eldership to this day. From the organization to the eve of the Civil War the church was supplied by Rev. John McFarland. While supplying the church Mr. MeFarland started East to re- ceive treatment for a cancer. While waiting for the stage coach at Springfield he fell among thieves, who stripped him of his possessions. Presbytery was then in session at Greenfield. The news of this misfortune reached the "fathers and brethren," and in their sorrow and perplexity as to what to do some one said, "Let us pray." "Uncle Billy" Orr was never heard to pray in public, but he walked up to the Moderator's desk, laid down a ten-dollar bill and said, "There's my prayer." The Presbytery caught the suggestion of the answer to an unuttered prayer and a generous contribution hastened the man of God on his mission
*Alfred Kennedy, 1875.
*Henry C. Mead, 1879.
C. W. Likens, 1891. Removed.
*P. Stringfield, 1891-1893.
P. S.
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for relief. "Uncle Billy" was never an elder in the church- presumably on account of his retiring disposition. But he has given three sons and a grandson to the eldership in the church. In 1872 the church erected its present substantial and commodi- ous brick church on Ozark Prairie-hence the name. When a location was sought it was placed seven miles fromn "Unele Billy's" home because, as he said, the people would be in that locality and he could go to the church anyway. For a score of years this church was pre-eminent among the country churches of the Presbytery. It had the best building, the largest mem- bership and the most efficient auxiliary organizations-Sunday school, Missionary Society and Young Peoples Society A lead- ing elder has frequently said in my hearing that the church began to decline when in 1888 such staunch families as those of John Orr, W. B. Skinner, A. B. Dinkle and William H. Johnson went out to form the Mount Vernon Church. But there were other causes that must be reckoned with-churches of other le- nominations were planted in territory pre-empted by this church ; the "golden age" of the country church passed with the grow- ing trend cityward, and we have not yet solved the problem as to how to restore that age. The ministers who have followed Mr. McFarland are: William R. Fulton, S. S., 1860-71; W. H. Downing, S. S., 1871; S. N. D. Martin, S. S., 1872-3: W. L. Miller, S. S., 1873-79; B. F. Powelson, 1879-1882; George H. Williamson, 1882-85; G. T. Thompson, 1885-86; A. M. Tanner, S. S., 1886-87; G. H. Williamson, S. S., 1887-91; E. E. Stringfield, 1892-95; J. H. Gehrette, P., 1896-97 ; R. E. L. Jarvis, S. S. and P., 1898-1900; J. H. Bright, S. S., 1901-3; W. L. Hackett (pastor at large). 1904-5; Rev. H. Pinkston, 1905 -.
In addition to the original elders, others who have served the church in that capacity are: Paul Orr, Williant Cochrane, John Orr, John S. Harris, Allen Dinkle, W. B. Skinner, John C. Jennings, George Orr, Henry Orr and William T. Swearingen. This church has observed the commendable practice of holding services conducted by an elder or some member on those Sab- baths when their minister supplied other churches. It has en- riched many other churches by its stalwart sons and daughters who have gone out from it.
CALVARY (GREENE COUNTY).
Technically the Calvary Church of Springfield dates its ex istence from the 28th of August, 1860. More than eleven years before this the Mount Zion Church had sent out a colony to form the Presbyterian Church of Springfield. As the shadows of the
.
CALVARY CHURCH, SPRINGFIELD
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coming conflict fell athwart this plateau on the borderland the harmony of the young church was disturbed.
Rev. James A. Quarles, D. D., writes: "I went to Spring- field to do my first work after leaving Princeton in the spring of 1859. It was my purpose to make my home and spend my life there should I prove acceptable to the people. There was only one organization of Presbyterians (New School) in the place, but two distinct parties. One was under the United Synod of the south, N. S., and was ably served by Rev. Morrison, a veteran. I represented the Old School sentiment. We used the same building alternately. There was no ill feeling, but * **
strong rivalry. The summer passed delightfully.
*
When the fall came I went home to seek ordination and to marry, fully expecting to return. I applied to my Presbytery, Missouri, for ordination as an evangelist. The church could not give me a call, as it was divided in sympathy (New and Old School), and the organization was New School. My purpose was to carry as many as I could into the Old School. As a mere licentiate and with no brother minister in the country to help me I could not administer the sacraments, and was badly handicapped in my competition with a strong rival. The Presbytery refused to or- dain me, wishing to keep me within its own bounds. I felt it would be folly to return and so settled in Glasgow."
But the purposes of this section of the church were not to be thwarted. The leading elders in the church lived in the coun- try in the vicinity of the present Bellview Church. They appear to have been in harmony with the minister, Rev. Levi Morrison, in his position as to the ecclesiastical relations of the church in the troublous times. This position was highly unsatisfactory to the members living in town. Accordingly, on the 28th of August, 1860, a new church was organized by Rev. H. M. Painter and named the Calvary Presbyterian Church of Springfield." The new church carried with it a majority of the members, but lost the older elders, the name and the succession. The history of Greene County states that all the elders remained in the old church, but the records of the Calvary Church show that Charles Sheppard and George C. See had been ordained elders in the Springfield Church December 25, 1859. Thirty-one members en- tered into the new organization, all but ten of whom had been members in the church of Springfield. Of the original members the name of Mrs. Rhoda Sheppard alone remains on the roll at present. Charles Sheppard, George C. See and Robert G. Aber- nathy were elected elders, the latter of whom, it appears, did not accept. The church was placed under the care of the Pres- bytery of Lafayette. Before the disruption the Springfield
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Church had erected a house of worship on Jefferson street be- tween East Walnut and Elm streets.
This house was dedicated July 4th, 1858. At that time there were only three churches in the town of 2,000 inhabitants. The Presbyterian church with its high Gothic, Pulpit and Pews and with its steeple, bell and gallery "was the best church in Spring- field until the Southern Methodists built the following year. Dur- ing the civil war this property was sold for debt by order of the civil court. Ostensibly the purchaser was Charles Sheppard, but the funds were provided by his brother Henry who had a habit of performing good deeds by proxy. Mr. Sheppard deeded the property to the Trustees of Calvary Church and thus litigation over the title was avoided.
Calvary church was scarcely out of "swaddling bands" when (Sept. 3rd, or 30th, 1860) "It was moved, seconded and car- ried that 'a monthly concert of prayer be established on the first Sunday evening of each month and a collection be taken up for Foreign Missions." Thus the "infant of days" was "Father to the man." The church with this record became the first church in Southwest Missouri to support a foreign pastor. In its early years this church was blessed with the ministries of men who have since ranked high in the intellectual and religious world- James A. Quarles, D. D., now in charge of the Department of Philosophy in Washington and Lee University; Frederick H. Wines, D. D., whose "bow still abides in strength;" J. Howard Nixon, D. D., one of the most scholarly ministers who have labor- ed in the State, and the original and versatile J. J. Marks.
The ministeries of Mr. Quarles were performed largely be- fore the organization of the church, though afterwards he occas- ionally visited the field of his first love, Moderated the session and broke to an admiring congregation the bread of life. At the time of the organization Frederick H. Wines was a young licen- tiate from Princeton located in Springfield in the Employ of the American Sunday School Union. Beginning with December, 1860, he served the church as stated supply for six months. In the spring of '62 Mr. Wines returned to Springfield where he was appointed Post Chaplain. During his incumbency in this posi- tion he ministered with marked ability to the soldiers and refu- gees and also to the Calvary church, and it was largely through his intervention that this church was reserved to the people of Springfield as a place of worship. When, after the battle of Wil- son Creek, every other church in the city was converted into either a hospital or a store house for army supplies. "Mr. Wines' Sunday School." as it is remembered, attracted marked attention. I can not describe it better than in the language of a lady who was then one of the small girls in the school :
W. R. GORTON
J. L. CARSON
HENRY SHEPPARD
MRS. HENRY SHEPPARD
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"Soon after the dedication of the church a small Sunday school was gathered. * * * The Presbyterian Church had about twenty members at that time and the Sunday school was not much larger at the beginning. The first Superintendent was Mr. George C. See. * *
He
# had a good voice and always led the music, and I well remember with what intense interest we would watch the tuning fork which he used to find the key in lieu of an organ or piano. Captain See was for a time teacher of an old-fashioned singing school, which did much to improve the music of the church as well as the Sunday school. The only names I can now recall of those who were the original teachers of the school are Mr. and Mrs. Horace Saunders, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Sheppard, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Sheppard. *
* * In the summer of 1860 the American Sunday School
*
*
Union sent Mr. Fred H. Wines as its agent to Southwest Missouri.
Mr. Wines took charge of the little Presbyterian Sunday school during his stay in Springfield in 1860 anad again in 1862, when he returned as army chaplain after having completed his theological course at Princeton Semi-
nary. * * * The old Presbyterian Church-set apart by the United States Government for services for such soldiers and citizens as cared to
Here Mr. attend-was the only one whose doors were open. * * *
Wines, * * * the only Christian minister in the town, gathered a large and unique Sunday school in the place of the little band aaccustomed to meet there. The southern row of seats was always filled with blue-coated soldiers; the children occupied the front pews of the remaining three- quarters of the honse, while the space in the rear and the gallery was solidly packed with older people of all denominations, with occasionally a group of Arkansas refugees in homely costumes of jeans and calico. Mr. Wines combined in his own person the offices of superintendent, organist, chorister, librarian and teacher of all the departments, from the infant to the Bible class. Owing to the shifting membership of the school and the insufficient supply of teachers he was driven to adopt new methods and to teach the whole school as one large class. Only one with a genius for teaching could have succeeded as he did in interesting and instructing by the same lesson scholars of such widely varying ages and conditions in life. The children of Springfield were further indebted to Mr. Wines for col- lecting a valuable library from his friends in the East, to which they had access during the week. Besides solid religious works and stories, this library contained many books of travels, science and history. * *
* When Mr. Wines left Springfield at the close of the war the union Sunday school was disbanded and others were organized in connection with the different denominations."
The old building that honsed this unique constituency is still standing-having been used as a boarding house, a Presbyterian female seminary under Miss Holliday, later as a Children's Home and now as a tenement. In Jannary, 1865, Rev. Wm. R. Fulton of Greenfield was engaged to supply the church one Sabbath a month. "He continued for several months, riding on horse-back 37 miles, often alone through a country full of bush whackers. At sundry times the church was supplied by licintiate John Gif- fen, and by Revs. John McFarland and W. S. Messmer and others. The first installed pastor of the church was Rev. James A. Paige who entered npon his work here in the fall of 1866 and was in- stalled Feb. 14, 1867. I think this must have been the second installation of a pastor witnessed in a Presbyterian church in Southwest Missouri. A directory of Ebenezer church compiled
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in 1899 gives W. R. Fulton the title of Stated Supply but in his historical address delivered at the Semi-Centennial of that church Dr. W. S. Knight said:
"I entered the Presbytery just 17 years ago. # At that time there was but one self-sustaining church in the Presbytery, that of Calvary, and there had been but four installed pastors the first of whom was Rev. W. R. Fulton, pastor of this (Ebe- nezer) church."
The growth of the church up to this time had been largely a negligible quantity. Less than 40 members were on her roll. But with the coming of Mr. Paige she "put on her strength" and began to "lengthen her cords, and strengthen her stakes." Sit- ting in the twilight of life, at 83 years of age, this veteran of the cross, in a beautiful flowing hand-easily recognized as the hand that recorded the minutes of the Presbyteries of Southwest Missouri and Ozark forty and thirty-seven years ago-writes: "Having served as Post Chaplain at St. Louis during the war I was commissioned by the Board of Home Missions at the close of the war to visit the unsettled churches of Missouri and restore their order and peace as far as practicable, and where also prac- ticable to procure for them acceptable ministers to serve them. On this work I visited Springfield and sent them a minister, who, not satisfying them, they called me. Appreciating the import- ance of the place I resigned my commission as a Home Missionary and moved my family to Springfield in December, 1866. Of its hardships and discouragements I (will) not speak. The first years were depressing but in the fall of '68 there developed a precious work of the Holy Spirit, continuing through the winter till late in the following spring, resulting in adding to the church over a hundred members, all but few on confession of their faith -a most promising band of young people for useful and helpful service." Mr. Paige was the second Stated Clerk of the Pres- bytery of Southwest Missouri and the first of Ozark. As a de- cidedly profieient and active Presbyterian he has been followed by others who have served as pastor of -this church-notably Revs. C. H. Dunlap. D. P. Putnam, D. D., Thomas H. Cleland, D. D., Asa Leard. D. D., and the present incumbent-all of whom have served the Presbytery in the Chairmanship of Home Mis- sions.
Under Dr. Paige the church passed the Ebenezer ,church in membership and became the largest church in the Presbytery- a position it has held ever since except for a short time when the Carthage church had a larger roll, though the Calvary church maintained its standing at the head of the benevolent columns and soon regained its position as to roll. Dr. Paige was followed by Dr. J. Howard Nixon, who supplied the church for a short
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time. Then on April 1st. 1872, Rev. C. H. Dunlap became stated supply and served the church until November 23, 1879. Marked seasons of refreshing attended his ministrations. After revival services, in which Mr. Dunlap was assisted by Rev. Thomas Mar- shall, D. D., the congregation became too large for its quarters and transferred its services to the opera house, on South street. But as this did not prove to be a congenial place of worship the congregation returned to the little church, and there remained until the basement of the present edifice was ready for occupancy, i. e., June 29th, 1879. This house was not completed until the spring of 1882, when, under the pastorate of Rev. D. P. Putnam, D. D., it was dedicated March 19th. President Tuttle, of Wabash College, preached the sermon.
In 1878 Rev. Lewis O. Thompson, of Peoria, Ill., published a book on the prayer meeting which calls attention to a covenant entered into by members of this church during the ministries of Rev. C. H. Dunlap. As the use of such devices were not so common forty years ago as today, I will make an extract from this book :
"The Calvary Presbyterian Church of Springfield, Mo., is the leading church in its Presbytery, and well known for its labors of love and self- sacrifice; but its members had fallen into the habit so common in all our city churches of absenting themselves from the evening services in consid- erable numbers. Their pastor-elect, in view of the case, felt it to be his duty to resign. But the church would not permit this, and especially so when they learned the reason. They called a meeting of the congregation and immediately applied a remedy for non-attendance in the shape of a pledge, which was drawn up and signed. It was handed to the pastor and of course the ground of his action was removed. He then prefixed a letter to the pledge and had both printed together on a card, so that a copy might be sent to each one of the original signers. The following is a literal copy of that card:
.
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"BRETHREN, BE NOT WEARY IN WELL DOING."
Dear :
The following pledge was handed to me with your name signed to it. The good Lord is pleased with our vows made to Him, when he sees us earnestly trying to keep them. Believing that a frequent reading of this solemn pledge, to which you have signed your name, will assist you to carry it out, I herewith send you a copy of it. Please read Psalm Ixvi: 12; Ps. Ixxvi: 11; Ps. exvi: 14.
Your Pastor, C. H. DUNLAP.
PLEDGE.
We now pledge ourselves to self-examination and prayer, that the Holy Spirit may come into our hearts; to seek His enlightening power, that we may see our duty as believers, and to impart to us such a sense of our obligations to our Lord as will enable us to engage heartily in all Christian work, by a more regular attendance upon all the services of the sanctuary, by the cultivation of the grace of benevo- lence, and by seeking such spirit of love to all that we shall set a watch upon our lips and hearts, that all evil speaking with all bitterness may be put away from us.
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