Knox County, Illinois - The whole text, 1912 (part 18 of 56)

Those who settled Galesburg came from Oneida county, Xew York, from a presbytery composed partly of Congregational churches, under the plan of union. The new Galesburg church had 8i original members, of whom 63 came by letter. Of these 35 brought letters from Presbyterian and 25 from Congregational churches. The church established relations under the plan of union with the nearest ecclesiastical body, which was the Schuyler presbytery. Upon its organization, February 25, 1837, it adopted as its name the First Presbyterian church of Galesburg. As a church it was an integral part of the plan of the original founders, which was to establish a Christian community, a Christian church and a Christian college. \\'hile there was a strong Congregational element in its membership, the Presbyterians predominated. Certain it is that at that time there was no denominational feeling or ambition, for all such possibilities were swallowed up in the intense and earnest common purpose. The Rev. George W. Gale, the leading spirit in the whole project and a Presbyterian, was its first pastor. It is evident from all the testimony that the church at its origin cared less for denominational forms and names than for religion and morals and for the work of education and reform. It can easily be understood that the Congregationalists would feel themselves thoroughly at home both by training and disposition in any pioneer work, in helping to found a college or in planning the prosecution of any reform. The best ideals of both Presbyterianism and Congregationalism went into the first years of this community. Nevertheless it was inevitable that the denominational consciousness, which was rapidly developing in the outside world, should naturally find reflection after a time in the life of the Galesburg church. In all parts of the country the plan of union was becoming unworkable. After 1837 the old school wing of the Presbyterian church, in America, had little sympathy with any rights claimed under the plan. Meanwhile the Congregational element in the Galesburg church increased in numbers and influence. In 1845, to meet their preferences, a compromise was adopted after amicable discussion, giving the church a double ecclesiastical connection both with the Congregational association and with the presbytery. In May, 1849, niembers of both jjersuasions were given equal rights according to the usage of their own denom.inations. This compromise did not prove satisfactory, so on May 29, 1851, thirty-seven of the Presbyterian members withdrew and formed the "Second Presbyterian church," followed later by eleven others. More Congregationalists came in. In the meantime the slavery question was assuming greater importance, and many Presbyterians became Congregationalists on this account, for the Presbyterian connection, because of its large southern relationship, was tolerant to slavery. The Galesburg Congregationalists, as elsewhere, were vigorously anti-slavery, and the unwillingness of the Peoria presbytery to modify its attitude toward the slavery question after several requests caused the church on October 6, 1855, formally to dissolve its connection with the presbytery. A year later, October 8, 1856. the name Presbyterian was dropped and the title "First Church of Christ in Galesburg" adopted. The fellowship established with the Congregational association in 1845 was maintained, and thus the church, though still inde])endent, became ]iractically Congregational. As an autonomous, self-governing congregation, bound together by covenant and acknowledging the obligations of fellowship with other similar churches, it faithfully perjjctuated the Separatist principles of two hundred and fifty years before. . .

The history of the "First Church of Christ" differs from that of most pioneer churches in several particulars. It passed through no period of infantile growth, but sprang into existence at once, strong and well disciplined, with efficient men and women to labor and pray for its success, and experienced officers to guide its affairs. Instead of receiving aid, it has always ministered to others, now and again sending forth of its strength to build upon other foundations, thus becoming the "mother of churches." Its relations with Knox College have been intimate, and it has received permanent benefit from the labors of presidents and professors and the youthful zeal of students.

The founding of this church was embraced in the same plan which gave origin to Galesburg and Knox College, and a detailed account of the whole movement will be found in its appropriate place in this volume. ... ;

In the fall of 1836 more than thirty families were located in cabins on the south side of Henderson grove, awaiting the approach of spring, when they were to begin in earnest the erection of buildings and the opening of farms. These families were homogeneous in their character, partaking of the spirit, as they sprang from the blood, of the Pilgrim fathers of New England. They loved the Bible, the Sabbath and the sanctuary. They cherished, with slight or no variation, the same views of gospel truth and felt, as their fathers felt, the importance of transmitting the institutions of religion to those who should come after them as the richest inheritance they could leave. . -; ,

Nor were they, the first winter, without the manifest presence of the holy spirit. Rev. John T. Avery, visiting his friends in their new home, spent several weeks aiding the officiating pastor. The way for the organization of a church being thus prepared, the professors of religion met at the schoolhouse in Henderson grove February 15, 1837. The ministers present were Rev. John Waters, who presided, and Rev. Geo. W. Gale. It was resolved: First, "That it is expedient, as soon as practicable, to form a church in this place" ; and, second, "to hear each give an account of his or her hope." February I5th, I7th, 2ist and 25th were spent in this way, and, when completed, a confession of faith and covenant were unanimously approved. Rev. Mr. Noel of Knoxville was also present, he having been appointed by the presbytery of Schuyler to assist in its formation. Sunday, February 26th, the confession of faith and covenant were adopted, and the ordinances of baptism and the Lord's Supper were administered. April 5th it was unanimously resolved "that it is expedient to organize the church fully as Presbyterian and to choose three elders and two deacons." Nehemiah West, Nehemiah H. Losey and John Kendall were chosen elders and Thomas Simmons and Abel Goodell deacons. April gth these were all installed in office, and the church was declared organized by the name of the Presbyterian church of Galesburg. Rev. Geo. W. Gale reported to the church, April 25th, that it had been received under the care of the presbytery of Schuyler. Thus the church began with eighty-one members, sixty-three having presented letters and eighteen uniting on profession of faith.

During the summer of 1837 meetings in the village were held in the schoolhouse, which stood on the north side of Ferris street, between Broad and Cherry, till December, 1838, when the academy building was used till the erection of the

. gregational church was formed. Thirty-five members withdrew and established the "First Congregational church in Galesburg;" during the next few years eighty-two other members from the mother church followed them. The principal motive seems to have been the feeling that the parent church was too large

- soon acquired an individuality of its own, and, for the forty years of its independent existence, the personality of its pastors and the public spirit and influence of its members gave it a large part in the religious life of the city.

.- kins, was built. The first pastor was the Rev. Edward Beecher, D. D., after whom the building has since been named. The great storm of May, 1858, blew over the tall spire, which practically destroyed the building. To aid in the reconstruction, Henry Ward Beecher, brother of the pastor, lectured in Galesburg, donating the proceeds to the church. The parsonage on the corner of Broad and North streets was given the church by Mrs. Henry Hitchcock. For nearly forty years these two churches, the "Brick church" and the "Old First" worked

; A. Bushnell. the last pastor of the "Brick church," resigned, and the two churches reunited on January i, 1895, as "the Central Congregational church of Galesburg." To the united membership the "Brick church" gave 350 members, the "Old" church 476, a total of 826. Rev. A. F. Sherrill, D. D., who had been pastor of the "Old First" church, continued as pastor of the new reunited Central church. The large and impressive building which had been planned as a part of the reunion was dedicated December 4, 1898, and still stands as an appropriate symbol of the history of the church it shelters. Of the various buildings acquired during these sixty years the parsonage of the "Brick church" was taken over by the Central church and is still in active use. Beecher chapel passed into the hands of Knox College, where it receives constant use in term time, both as a chapel for the college students and to accommodate a part of the work of the Knox Conservatory of Music. A large wooden chapel which had been built just west of the original great wooden church in 1851 was not torn down in 1894, but was moved out to the east part of the city, where it became the home of the newly organized Fast Main Street church until December, 1910. In 1911, having outlived its usefulness, it was torn down.

The original church building on the square, that was destroyed in 1894, played many roles in the life of the city during its existence, but none more interesting than that as protector and gfuardian spirit of the "underground railroad." The steeple was often used as a hiding place for negroes and the great auditorium often rang with the denunciations of the fugitive slave law, the Missouri compromise, the Dred Scott decision, and of everything connected with the slave system.

church, in which the first service was held June 2ist, 1846. This building was in constant use until 1894, when it was torn down to make way for the present building, which was begun in 1895 and dedicated in 1898.

In all this time, from 1837 to 1898, there were various withdrawals of groups of members to form other churches. Besides the separation of the Presbyterians in 1851 there was an amicable understanding in 1855 by which another Congregational church was formed. Thirty-five members withdrew and established the "First Congregational church in Galesburg;" during the next few years eighty-two other members from the mother church followed them. The principal motive seems to have been the feeling that the parent church was too large and that two churches could accomplish more than one. The new organization soon acquired an individuality of its own. and, for the forty years of its independent existence, the personality of its pastors and the public spirit and infiuence of its meml^ers gave it a large part in the religious life of the city.

In 1856 the "Brick church" on Broad street, between Simmons and Tompkins, was built. The first pastor was the Rev. Edward Beecher. D. D., after whom the building has since been named. The great storm of May, 1858. blew over the tall spire, which practically destroyed the building. To aid in the reconstruction. Henry Ward Beecher, brother of the pastor, lectured in Galesburg, donating the proceeds to the church. The parsonage on the corner of Broad and Xortli streets was given the church by Mrs. Henry Hitchcock. For nearly forty years these two churches, the "Brick church" and the "Old First" worked side by side, but by 1894 the time seemed ripe for reunion. The Reverend H. A. Bushncll. the last pastor of the "Brick church," resigned, and the two churches reunited on Januarv i, 1895, ^^ "the Central Congregational church of Galesburg." To the united membership the "Brick church" gave 350 members, the "Old" church 476. a total of 826. Rev. A. F. Sherrill, D. D.. who had been pastor of the "Old First" church, continued as pastor of the new reunited Central church. The large and impressive building which had Ix^en planned as a part of the reunion was dedicated December 4. 1898. and still stands as an appropriate symbol of the history of the church it shelters. Of the various buildings acquired during these sixty years the parsonage of the "Brick church" was taken over by the Central church and is still in active use. Beecher chapel passed into the hands of Knox College, where it receives constant use in term time, both as a chapel for the college students and to accommodate a part of the work of the Knox Conservatory of Music. A large wooden chapel which had been built just west of the original great wooden church in 1851 was not torn down in 1894. but was moved out to the east part of the city, where it became the home of the newly organized Fast Main Street church until December, 1910. In 1911. having outlived its usefulness, it was torn down. | . .

The original church building on the square, that was destroyed in 1894, played many roles in the life of the city during its existence, but none more interesting than that as protector and guardian spirit of the "underground railroad." The steeple was often used as a hiding place for negroes and the great auditorium often rang with the denunciations of the fugitive slave law, the Missouri compromise, the Dred Scott decision, and of everything connected with the slave system.

of Congregationalists was far exceeded by the acrimony that soon after developed in the great controversy between the Presbyterians and the Congregationalists concerning their respective rights in Knox College. From the calm atmosphere of fifty years later, this trouble reminds one of the apostolic discussion between James and John as to which should sit on the right hand and which on the left. The original liberal and broad-minded intention of the founders came safely through the strife ; the college was originally intended to be non-sectarian, and is non-sectarian today. Today Presbyterians and Congregationalists alike are interested to preserve the intention of the founders with the liberal spirit of the founders. Nevertheless while the controversy lasted, it was very real and very important to those concerned ; it could not well be otherwise when' such powerful personalities as Jonathan Blanchard, Edward Beecher and George W. Gale, not to speak of others, were involved.

In 1898, Fv.ev. C. A. Vincent, D. D., was called to become the pastor of Central church. Under his aggressive leadership the church developed in strength and the balance of the debt upon its great new building was cleared off. During the year 1,907, as a result of the Gipsy Smith and the W. A. Sunday revival campaigns, 410 were added to the church. He was followed by the Rev. J. Percival Huget, D. D., who came in 1907, and remained three years adding by his strong and eloquent preaching and organizing activities much strength to the church. The membership, January i, 1912, was 1,293, *"d there were 850 enrolled in the Sunday school. The present pastor is the Rev. C. E. McKinley, who took up the work in September, 1911. '/ - ;

In 1858, a mission Sunday school was established in the southeast part of the town by an organization, which in time came to represent all the Protestant churches of Galesburg. In 1894, there grew out of this mission revival services in the eastern part of the city in charge of the Rev. W. H. Wannamaker, an evangelist. The result of this movement was the organization of two new Congregational churches, the Knox Street church, on the comer of Day and Kriox streets, organized in August, 1894, with 22 members; and the Union Congregational church, organized August 8, 1894, with 36 members. A new building was planned for the Knox Street church and dedicated June 24, 1895. To the Union Congregational church was given the old chapel of the "Old First" which was moved to a lot near the corner of East Main and Phillips streets. The church, upon entering this building took the name of "The E^st Main Street Congregational church." The project of establishing at the same time two new churches proved to be a little too ambitious. The Knox Street church worked along for thirteen years with gradually declining fortunes and in 1907, the building was sold to the United Brethren, who have since conducted a church there. The East Main Street church had a fairly prosperous history only for a few years. Its fortune also seemed to be declining, but in 1903, it took a new grip on its field, and has since grown strong enough, not only to become self-supporting, but to build an adequate and permanent new building on the corner of Whitesboro and East Main streets at a cost of about $25,000. This building was dedicated December ii, 1910.

The growth of Congregationalism outside of Galesburg was determined at first by the development of new settlements. When the railroad came through, settlements grew up along its line at Wataga, Oneida and Altona, and Congregational churches soon after appeared in each of these places. In two cases churches, established under other auspices, became Congregational, because they found the simple Congregational procedure involving autonomy, covenant and fellowship more satisfactory. Thus the Victoria church, originally Presbyterian, became Congregational, as well as the old and influential Cumberland Presbyterian church near Abingdon, s. ..!-

In later years, Congregationalism in Knox county has been affected by the process of change taking place throughout the Congregational denomination by which attempts have been made to make more efficient the machinery for gaining their common object. The "fellowship" that was sufficient for pioneer days has discovered in the complications of modern life the need of dependence upon something more systematic than voluntary co-operation. The churches of Knox county are affiliated by fellowship with the Central West association of Congregational churches including the churches of Knox, Fulton, Peoria, Marshall, Stark and Mercer counties and also to the general state conference of Illinois. Both these organizations have within two years adopted new forms of government, which, while they preserve carefully the original Congregational ideas, provide a new and improved centralization of power designed to be of better help to the weaker churches, and a more successful means for prosecuting the great common missionary enterprises.

The settlers of Ontario township began to come in soon after the arrival of the settlers in Knox county. They came from the same region - Oneida county, New York - and brought with them the same ideals concerning religion, education, temperance and slavery. Among these settlers were the Williamses, Nelsons, Wetmores, Cranes, Chapmans, Camps, Hollisters, Savages, Moshers and Powells. Congregational churches were founded by them in two places, Ontario and Oneida.

The earliest center of common activity was in the southwest corner of the township where the Camp schoolhouse was built in 1839, ^" which religious . services were held from the first. Here was organized the Ontario church, on August 12, 1848, with seventeen members and the Rev. D. Todd as first pastor. A building was erected in 1851, on the northeast corner of section 31, near the school. In more recent years a parsonage was added. This church has the distinction of being the first strictly Congregational church in Knox county, for the Galesburg church was still nominally Presbyterian. On January i, 1912, the membership of this church was 83 and there were 54 in the Sunday school. The Ontario settlement also has the honor of having been an active station on the line of the "underground railway," two of the Congregational members, C. F. Camp and Howard Powell being active in this work.

The other center in Ontario township was developed by the coming of the railroad in 1854 in the southeast corner of the township, at Oneida, and there a church was organized December 22, 1855, with twenty-one members. Prominent among them were Deacon and Mrs. Ferris, Mr. and Mrs. William Stephenson. Mr. and Mrs. Hubbard, Mr. and Mrs. Pratt, Mr. and Mrs. Cornish, Mr. and Mrs. A. P. Child, Lewis and Mary Burt, and A. R. and E. C. St. John. Not until February, 1858, after three years of self-sacrificing toil, did the Congregationalists dedicate their own building. Congregational fellowship was well illustrated on that occasion by the presence of many from the Ontario church and of Dr. Edward Beecher and President Blanchard from the Galesburg churches. The first regular pastor was Rev. C. H. Abemethy. This church was very active in anti-slavery work and has always been a strong infiuence in temperance reform. Its membership on January i, 1912, was 127 and there were loo in the Sunday school. '

Wataga was another settlement that grew up rapidly as the result of the railroad coming, and here also a church was organized the following year, on June lo, 1855. The first meeting was appropriately held in the new station, and the church thereafter worshipped in the school house till 1860, when a building was erected. To this a parsonage was added in 1876. The ten original members were A. P. Babcock, Wm. S. Farnham, Mrs. Maria Farnham, Mrs. C. F. Farnsworth, Benjamin Gardner, Mrs. Abigail Gardner, Sarah Gardner, Mrs. Minerva Holyoke, Chas. W. Rhodes, Mrs. Jane Rhodes. Of these A. P. Babcock in later years as missionary for the Knox county Sunday school association and agent for the American Bible society did a remarkable and influential work of personal visitation throughout the county. The present membership of the church is 51, and it has a Sunday school of 52.

The Victoria church was originally organized as a Presbyterian church in May, 1841, the village having had an early growth by reason of its situation on the main post route to Chicago; but in April, 1849, the church became identified with the Congregational fellowship and for over fifty years had a flourishing history. A good building was erected in 1852 and later a parsonage. At the present time, however, although these buildings remain, the activity of the church has' ceased.

The coming of the railroad is also responsible indirectly for the church at Altona, which was organized February 21, 1857, with nine members, under the leadership of the Rev. A. Root. A building was erected in 1866 and sometime later a parsonage. Of the whole organization the parsonage alone remains. The church has not been active for some time'.

The Rio Congregational church was organized in 1871 and its building was dedicated in 1873. At the present time it has a co-operative arrangement with the Methodist church, interesting as an illustration of practical harmony in Christian work, under which a union Sunday school and a common pastor are maintained. January i, 1912, the church had 105 members and there were 140 in the union Sunday school. - -- . ',^ '':;!>

The Abingdon church has a continuous history longer than that of any existing Congregational church in Knox county. That history has not been continuously Congregational, however, for only since i88l has it been affiliated with the Congregational fellowship. It originated as a Cumberland Presbyterian church in 1834 or 1835 with fifteen members. Not long after a house of worship was erected about one and one-half miles northwest of -Abingdon, said to be the first church building in the county. In 1866 the congregation moved to Abingdon and built a new church there. In i88i the members voluntarily decided to transfer their connection to the Congregational body, since which time the church has well perpetuated the high ideals and influential plans of its founders. On January i, 1912, there were 248 members and 127 in the Sunday school,

: The present Belong church came into existence in 1894 as the result of services held by the Rev. A. W. Bepew, then pastor of the Abingdon church. An attractive building was erected in 1903. There was on January i, 1912, a membership of 103 and a Sunday school of 60.

Altogether in the whole county there was, on January i, 1912, a Congregational church membership of 2,218 and a Sunday school membership of 1,648.

I. Historical, i. Methodism began in the second quarter of the eighteenth century (1739) in England, as a revival within the Established church (Episcopal), under John Wesley, preacher, founder, statesman; Chas. Wesley, hymn writer; John Fletcher, theological and controversial writer, and George Whitefield, brilliant pulpit orator. These were university men. And though ordained v-'t ministers of the English church they were soon denied the pulpits of the church. Hence followed the famous field-preaching, when as many as 20,000 people often heard Wesley and Whitefield. There early developed a new and remarkable agency of "lay-preachers" and workers, whose example has been followed in latter evangelism by such illustrious laymen as Mr. Moody and Mr. Sunday.,:- and great numbers of Young Men's Christian association workers. The groups resulting from this movement were not called churches, but "societies," for they were still in the English church, and their houses were called chapels. The first Methodist chapel in the world was built in Bristol, England, in 1739.

The first Wesleyan "conference" held in the world was in Foundry chapel, London, in 1744, with ten ministers present, four of whom were lay-preachers.

Mr. Wesley did not organize a new church in England, but remained in the Established church. He aided in founding the Methodist Episcopal church in America. ^'/l : -'. '--f-.'f-

The first delegated general conference was held in 1812 in New York city, with 88 delegates. There were then 688 preachers and 184,567 members.

Methodism has now spread to all continents and chief divisions of the world, being firmly planted in the United States, England, Canada, Australia, India, China, Japan, etc.

II. Doctrinal. Mr. Wesley said, "Life is more than dogma." Methodism was a revival of both life and Qoctrine. It preached no new doctrine, but emphasized cardinal doctrines long neglected. It correlated these and came to be, as it still is, the chief representative of the school of the theolog}- and Christian philosophy which has come to be the general ground of Christendom.

The doctrinal controversy of the eighteenth century was between two schools - one standing for the "five points" - ^total depravity, particular election, partial redemption, effectual calling, infallible perseverance. Methodism presented her five points: i. All men are sinners. 2. All men are redeemed. 3. All men are called. 4. As many as obey the call are chosen. 5. Of those chosen as many as endure to the end shall be saved.

III. Government, It is representative, under a constitution. Its highest authority is in a delegated "general conference" composed of an equal number of ministerial and lay delegates elected respectively by ministers and laymen.

This conference meets every four years, is the law-making body and combines in itself legislative, judicial and executive functions ; and while it establishes certain church courts and is an appellate court it is not a court of original jurisdiction. , -

The governing body of the local church is the "quarterly conference." It consists of trustees, stewards, class leaders, Sunday school superintendents and presidents of brotherhood, aid society and Epworth league. All these are elected by the laymen. Stewards and class leaders are nominated by the pastor. Women are electors and are eligible to all these offices and to the general conference.

Its Ministers. All ministers get their first authorization from the quarterly conference (laymen) and their nomination to the annual conference (ministers), by whom they are examined as to doctrines, etc., and by whom they are ordained and authorized. Bishops are general superintendents elected by the general conference and may be retired by that body. They do not give to the church any laws or rules ; they administer certain affairs under the constitution and laws. District superintendents administer under the laws within a "district" embracing 20 to 60 pastoral charges. -v; -, .

Lecky, historian : "Wesley has had a wider constructive influence in the sphere of religion than any man since the i6th century ; and has exercised a powerful influence on the political history of England."

Goldwin Smith: "Against the disintegrating tendencies of the i8th century the religious crusade of John Wesley was among the strongest defensive forces."

1. The uprising and development of lay influence. Hitherto in the English churches laymen had not exercised spiritual functions. The Wesleyan movement called laymen into service - class leaders, stewards, exhorters, local preachers. The talents of Christian women also were brought into use. In both England and America the foundations were laid largely by lay-preachers. Its genius is not an aristocracy but a democracy.

2. The simplicity of its doctrinal requirements for membership. Wesleysaid : "Is a man a believer in Jesus Christ, and is his life suitable to his profession, are the sole inquiries I make." The general rules declare, "There is only one condition previously required of those seeking admission to our societies - . - A desire to flee from the wrath to come and be saved from their sins." '-":':

3. Confident testimony to present salvation. Few, even among the clergy, had claimed such experience or declared the doctrine of Christian assurance. ;\_ 4. Catholicity. This is evidenced by the simplicity and inclusiveness of - its doctrine; its generous spirit toward all communions that honor Christ; the '.-.--- readiness with which its members pass into all other evangelical churches; ; 'and the fact that the trend of religious thought and philosophy of the modern --'. world is toward Arminian theology and Wesleyan interpretation. ;- V. Results, in 1912 - .^ :-.-

The first that is known of Methodism in Knox county seems to have been in > 1834, when Peter Cartwright held a camp meeting within the boundaries of the;-/.. ''. county. In his autobiography, Cartwright himself relates the following incident:/^ .-.. "In the course of this year, 1834, we had a camp meeting in Knox county, ' ; Henderson river mission. There was a goodly number tented, and a fine turn ' out of people, for the number of settlers in this new and rising country. Our '

"There was in this settlement an interesting and intelligent family from one of the eastern states. The younger members of the family consisted of several ' - young men and young ladies. The young people liked the Methodists, and were deeply convicted; the old people particularly the old lady, were very ;' much opposed to them. Living, as they did close to the camp ground, they put - : their Yankee ingenuity to work to keep their children away from the meeting; but finding they could not accomplish it, they at once determined to pitch their tent on the camp ground, and they thought they would have a better opportunity to watch the children, and counteract any influence we might exert upon them. They pretended to be very friendly, to save appearances. The old lady, for the purpose of disarming me, treated me very kindly, and invited me to eat with them, which I did. In the meantime one of the daughters, who was deeply convicted, told me all about her mother's opposition to the Methodists, and her schemes to prevent her children from being influenced to become religious.

"One Saturday evening I invited the seekers of religion to come forward to the altar for the prayers of the church. Two of her daughters came forward and knelt in prayer. A young sister, almost as much opposed to the Methodists as her mother, went into the altar with a phial of hartshorn, and while her two sisters were trying to pray she slipped the hartshorn to their nose, in order to drive them up and prevent their seeking religion. I very soon detected her in her operations, and took hold of her hand, wrenched the phial from her, led her out of the altar, and told her if I caught her in there any more on such business, I would pitch her' out and publicly expose her.

"While I was talking to and praying with these two young ladies and others, I saw the old lady, their mother, come and take her seat outside of the altar, immediately opposite her daughters, and if at any time she thought I was not watching her, she would kick them in their sides to drive them up. I watched her very closely, and when in the act of kicking them, I took hold of her foot and gave her a strong push backward, and over she tumbled among the benches. Being a large corpulent woman, she had some considerable tussel to right herself again. So in this way I defeated the scheme of the devil once more. The girls became very much engaged, but while there were many still pressing to the altar, and my attention for the moment was called oflf, the old lady contrived to get them out of the altar into the tent. As soon as I discovered what was done, I gathered two or three good singers and praying persons, and followed them into the tent, and commenced singing ; I then gave them an exhortation ; then said 'Let us pray,' and called on the father of the girls to pray for his children, but he refused ; I then called on their mother to kneel down and pray for her children, and she refused. In the meantime two of the boys, as well as the two girls, became very much aflfected, and cried for mercy; and presently the third daughter, that had used the hartshorn in the altar, got awfully convicted, and begged all present to pray for her, or she would be lost and damned forever. This was too much for the old people ; they became awfully alarmed, and wept bitterly ; and you may be sure the whole tent was in a mighty uproar. The singing, praying, and exhortations were kept up nearly all night. Four of the family were powerfully converted, and the sectarian devil in the old father and mother was affectfully disarmed, and from that blessed night they became a religious family ; all joined the Methodist church, and, as far as I know, walked worthy of their high vocation. May they all prove faithful till death, and then receive a crown of life."

their Yankee ingenuity to work to keep their children a\vay from the meeting; but finding they could not accomplish it. they at once determined to pitch their tent on the camp ground, and they thought they would have a better opportunity to watch the children, and counteract any influence we might exert upon them. They pretended to be very friendly, to save appearances. The old lady, for the purpose of disarming me. treated me very kindly, and invited me to eat with them, which I did. In the meantime one of the daughters, who was deeply convicted, told me all about iier mother's opposition to the Methodists, and her schemes to prevent her children from being influenced to become religious.

"One Saturday evening I invited the seekers of religion to come forward to the altar for the prayers of the churcli. Two of her daughters came forward and knelt in prayer. A young sister, almost as much opposed to the Methodists as her mother, went into the altar with a phial of hartshorn, and while her two sisters were trying to pray she slipped the hartshorn to their nose, in order to drive them up and prevent their seeking religion. I very soon detected her in her operations, and took hold of her hand, wrenched the phial from her. led her out of the altar, and told her if I caught her in there any more on such business. I would pitch her out and publicly expose her.

"While I was talking to and praying with these two young ladies and others. I saw the old lady, their mother, come and take her seat outside of the altar, immediately opposite her daughters, and if at any time she thought I was not watching her, she would kick them in their sides to drive them up. I watched her very closely, and when in the act of kicking them. I took hold of her foot and gave her a strong push backward, and over she tumbled among the benches. IJeing a large cor])ulent woman, she had some considerable tussel to right herself again. So in this way I defeated the scheme of the devil once more. The girls became very much engaged, but while there wore many still pressing to the altar, and my attention for the moment was called oflf. the old lady contrived to get them out of the altar into the tent. As soon as 1 discovered what was done, I gathered two or three good singers and pra\'ing ])ersons. and followed them into the tent, and commenced singing: I then gave them an exhortation : then said 'Let us ])ray.' and called on the father of the girls to pray for his children, but he refused: I then called on their mother to kneel down and pra\- for her children, and she refused. In the meantime two of the boys, as well as the two girls, became very much affected, and cried for mercy : and lirescntly the third daughter, that had used the hartshorn in the altar, got awfully convicted, and begged all present to pray for her. or she would be lost and damned forever. This was too much for the old i)eo])le : they became awfully alarmed, and wept bitterly : and you may be sure the whole tent was in a mighty uproar. The singing, jjraying. and exhortations were kej)t up nearly all night. Four of the family were ])owerfully converted, and the sectarian devil in the old father and mother was affectfully disarmed, and from that blessed night they became a religious family : all joined the Methodist church, and, as far as I know, walked worthy of their high vocation. May they all prove faithful till death, and then receive a crown of life."

was appointed presiding elder for four years of the Quincy district, which consisted of the following appointments: Pittsfield, Quincy circuit, Quincy mission, Rushville station, Rushville circuit. Canton, Ft. Edwards mission, Henderson River mission and Knoxville mission included the counties of Knox and Warren and part of Fulton. In 1867 permanent camp grounds were located at Gilson, and for forty-three years annual camp meetings were held there, many of the great preachers of the denomination taking part from time to time. When in 1910 the meetings were discontinued and the property given to Hedding Colr -., V' .." METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, ABINGDON, ILL. . -^>?

The first white settler in Cherry Grove was Hiram Palmer, Methodist local -:.-'. preacher, who came here in 1828 and lived alone until A. D. Swartz and Asel

- W. Dorsey came in the following year. The first Methodist preaching was done :\l by this Hiram Palmer at the home of A. D. Swartz, in the winter of 1829-1830.

- - site of the Second church, corner of Latimer and Washington streets, in 1898; ; Rev. R. E. Buckey, pastor. The cornerstone was laid Thursday, June i6th.

In 1867 Altona was made a separate pastorate and Rev. E. Ransom ap- <; pointed pastor. The first place of public worship used by the Altona Methodists was a schoolhouse which was only 16x20 feet in size standing on what is now the northeast corner of Main and Depot streets. The present church building was erected in 1857 at a cost of $3,500, being the first building erected for public worship in the village. In 1867 on becoming a distinct pastoral charge the parsonage was built at a cost of $2,300

The Sunday school was organized in the spring of 1855, E. B. Main as superintendent. Recent pastors of the church have been Revs. W. S. Welsh, A. P. Robson, A. M. Bowlin, J. W. Ferris, C. A. Wright, G. H. McCrea, A. E. Rowson. The present pastor is Rev. G. H. Smith. During Rev. J. W. Ferris' ministry the church was remodeled and is now a very beautiful and commodious building. Attached to this circuit is the Nekoma Methodist Episcopal church, where services are held each Sunday afternoon. -h. ' I - : /-..

The Dahinda Methodist church came into being under the leadership of Miss Hattie Sargent (now deceased), who agitated the matter and made a beginning of a subscription list, which others carried to a successful issue. This was in December, 1903. The church was built and dedicated November, 1904. Franklin Rist was its first pastor and had much to do with getting the society organized. ; - " ..'';'"'-'-' - ^ ''-'-''.;-:"'/''-; V3 ''--."

The Methodist church of Henderson was erected in 1874. The date of the formation of the society is not known, but it must have been some time in the sixties. It is a significant fact that the ground on which the building stands is the site of the old Buzzard's Nest, a notorious tavern and saloon of early days. How appropriate that the house of God should be erected where once stood the house of sin. The coming of the church has indeed caused the decline of the saloon rule, until the latter had to go.

.; The most far-reaching movement in Henderson of recent years was the great revival conducted by the Reverend George Hinds in the year of 1906. The entire religious and moral sentiment of the community was changed and the churches gained many staunch supporters.

Henderson was originally part of the Wataga charge, but has for several years past been connected with Rio. Among its former pastors are some of the leading men of the conference - W. H. Witter, N. T. Allen, S. P. James, A. M. Stocking, S. P. Archer, C. F. W. Smith, H. B. Gough and many others. Of recent years the pastors have been Charles Van Dettum, Evens Worthily, George Hinds, H. B. Green, J. D. Payne, I. E. Moats. ; ';'}:;:'

Mr. J. W. Stephens furnishes the following statement in regard to the Louisville Methodist church, which formerly stood upon the Abingdon road about half way from Galesburg to Abingdon. .. :;-:., --

,-'../. .was strong enough to establish a church. During that time many fruitless efforts .-.;-. had been made by different faiths in that direction. During the first twenty years ' - of the history of the town it was not considere'^'. a suitable place for a church, --;;'. as the church members were few and poor.

- "., In 1859 spiritualism was introduced and soon became the rage. It affected - :'-; the community to an alarming extent. Seances were held nightly and the whole

Preaching was supplied from Knoxville for a number of years in an irregular way. In the winters of 1861-2 a United Brethren preacher by the name of Wilmette held a series of meetings in the schoolhouse and had about thirty conversions. An effort was made at that time to build a church. A subscription amounting to $1,500 was gotten up, but for some reason they did not succeed in building. The field was not properly cultivated, and most of the converts drifted back. In 1866 the old schoolhouse was for sale. Some of the women who were members of the sewing society made up their minds to purchase it and arrange it for church purposes. It was sold to them for $300 and refitted at some additional expense and made a very comfortable place in which to hold services.

' The next effort at church building was by Rev. Stephen Brink, who was on the Gilson work. He succeeded in getting $1,200 subscribed, but the church did not materialize. In 1872 a man by the name of Garretson, a Christian preacher, had a revival and organized a society of about fifty. A subscription of $1,500 followed, but for some reason it proved a failure. A Mr. Grouard, a spiritualist, - and a Mr. Carney, a Universalist, next proposed a union building, but nothing came of it. In 1875 Maquon was put on with the Summit work, and Rev. Charles W. Swartz was appointed to take charge. He began talking church as soon as he came and succeeded in getting a subscription of $i,6oo, with the promise of more. The site for the church was purchased from Mr. Thomas Benson, the building was erected by Burkhalter brothers at a cost of $4,500 and was dedicated by Bishop Jesse T. Peck, Sept. ii, 1877. Rev. Swartz served the church two years and was followed by H. S. Humes, who remained one year.

Rev. L. B. Dennis was appointed in 1878. During his first winter he succeeded in bringing about a revival in which there were one hundred conversions. It \vas the first revival pf importance in Maquon. Important because it succeeded in permanently establishing organized Christianity in Maquon. He left the first authentic records of membership that have been continued to the present.

William Merriam next followed, and at the end of his first year Maquon was put on the Gilson circuit and Merriam was sent to the Gilson work. He died in Gilson, Feb. 12, 1883. .:/:;>.-:- - !-.-;>

A. P. Beal was sent to fill out the year. In October, 1883, Vincent Aten was sent to Maquon, it being made a separate charge again. He remained one year and was followed by R. B. Seaman. He was returned a second year. It was through his earnest efforts that the present parsonage was built. Rev. Joe Bell was appointed to Maquon Oct. 12, 1886. He was returned the second and third time. These three years were so full of blessed results that Maquon people have every reason to long cherish his memory.

In 1891 Rev. A. M. Bowlin was appointed to the charge, remaining two years. During Rev. Bowlin's pastorate a debt of $700 on the church was paid off and repairs to the amount of $850 made.

In 1893 J. P. McCormick was appointed to Maquon and was followed by R. Y. Hazzard. His term of service was two years, being succeeded by J. G. Evans, who supplied it for nine months in connection with his work as president of Hedding college. Rev. Frank H. Winter, a Hedding student, next took charge, supplying until the annual conference in 1897.

Maquon was without a regular pastor till Nov. lo, 1897, when W. H. Young was appointed to the work. Maquon and Rapatee were associated this year, Maquon having preaching each alternate Sunday morning. Rev. Young was returned in 1898. Next followed Rev. D. T. Wilson, whose gentle influence caused a greater harmony among the people, both inside and out of the church, than had existed heretofore. Rev. John T. Killip came in 1901 to the pastorate. He remained for two years. During this time the church was repaired and modernized and rededicated free of debt. ;-;

Rev. J. G. A. Martin was appointed to the charge in 1903 and was again returned the next year, his deep learning and depth of thought being apparent in the poetic trend of his language. He resigned after serving six months of his second year. Rev. Ira Moats was sent to fill out the year. In September, 1906, Rev. S. L. Clark was sent to Maquon. During his pastorate of two years a very successful revival was held and many were added to the church.

Rev. W. F. Kettlekamp succeeded Mr. Clark and remained for three years. During his administration both the Maquon and Rapatee churches were thoroughly repaired and left in excellent condition at a cost of several hundred dollars. At the conference of 1911 Rev. U. Z. Gilmer was appointed to the charge and is the incumbent at the present time.

Oneida circuit was formed in the autumn of 1857 from portions of the Knoxville and Henderson circuits, with Rev. W. M. Clark preacher in charge and Rev. R. N. Morse presiding elder.

At the conference of 1858 it was transferred to Monmouth district, with Henry Summers presiding elder and George W. Brown preacher in charge. The following year (1859) Oneida circuit was placed in the Toulon district, John Morey presiding elder, and George W. Brown continued pr«acher in charge. The conference of 1860 returned Oneida to the Monmouth district with Henry Summers presiding elder and William Watson preacher in charge, Bernard Kelley being employed as assistant preacher. During the two years of Rev. Watson's pastorate the church enjoyed a great revival, the record of those years showing the names of 165 probationers received.

Until 1862 the society held its meetings in the schoolhouse. Now, under the pastorate of Wm. J. Smith, a church was erected at a cost of more than $3,000 and dedicated by Rev. Thomas M. Eddy, D. D.

The present beautiful church was erected in 1909, dedicated in June by Dr. Edwin A. Schell, president of Iowa Wesleyan University, Mt. Pleasant, Iowa. Rev. Chas. Van Dettum was pastor. The building committee was A. J. Roe, Isaac Henderson and S. V. Hannam. A. H. Youngren was the contractor. The building cost $10,000.

/: The present trustees of the church are Joseph Masters, president ; A. J. Roe, C. J. Talbot, Geo. W. Ide, Isaac Henderson, Jas. Weech, Jr., S. V. Hannam, A. F. Adams, Geo. W. Adams.

The Methodist church building of Rio was built in the year of 1894 and dedicated in December of that year. The society had, however, existed for many years prior to this date. The exact time is not known, but the class existed as early as 1850. In 1853 a man by the name of Coe was class leader. During these early days the services were held in the schoolhouse and other accessible buildings, often even in barns. When in 1872 the Congregationalist church was erected an arrangement was affected whereby the Methodists had the use of that building each alternate Sunday. Here they continued to worship until their own house was built.

Rio has always been part of a circuit or charge, sharing its pastor with North Henderson, Alpha, New Windsor and Henderson successively. From the beginning the church has had steady, healthful growth. Many of its former pastors are now quite prominent in church circles. Among those that have served the church in recent years are T. A. Beal, M. L. O'Harra, W. C. Crane, E. S. Busby, Earl Ballew, Charles Van Dettum, George Hinds, J. D. Payne, H. B. Green and Ira E. Moats.

First American M. E. church erected here October 27, 1854. In 1836 Zadok Hall was appointed to the Kickapoo mission, which embraced all the territory between here and Laura. That fall the first Methodist class was organized at Old Salem schoolhouse, four miles southeast of present village of Victoria. Here Methodism first took root. Victoria was a part of the Lafayette circuit in 1843.

In 1844 we were transferred to Rock River conference. On the Ilth of May, 1849, the present village of Victoria was laid out. :-'- New church was dedicated June 5, 1910. ''. -

The great revival meetings were held in February, 1882. As the result 80 people were taken into the church. Rev. John Rugh was pastor. This was probably the greatest revival in the history of the Wataga Methodist church.

In the early history Wataga was on a circuit with five other charges. At the present time the church has a membership of seventy. Wm. Clark was the first preacher, he being the father of N. G. Clark who is still alive. The church has had a battle to live all these years. At the present it is in a healthy condition.

The Williamsfield Methodist church was organized by Rev. John Gimson in 1890, then pastor at Victoria. The building was erected in the same year and at the next conference the church was placed on the Elba circuit. In 1894, under the pastorate of John Killip, the parsonage was built. In 1906 the church was remodelled under the pastorate of Rev. Franklin Rist. -

The first Methodist Episcopal church of Galesburg was organized in 1847 by the Rev. J. J. Hedstrom, wifh A. M. and Mrs. Follett, L. H. and Mrs. Mary Haskell, and Mr. and Mrs. Beam as members - six in all. It was then an appointment of the Knoxville circuit, belonged to the Rock River conference, and continued so until 1855, when the Peoria, now Central Illinois conference, was organized. The first building was erected in 1851, by the American and Swedish Methodists jointly. It was a wooden structure 36x50 feet in size, and located at the corner of Kellogg and Tompkins streets, a plat of ground which, for more than sixty years has been the gathering point for Methodism in Galesburg, and around which cluster many sacred memories by the older members of the church. The building was not entirely finished until 1853, when on the third Sunday in November it was dedicated by that noted pioneer preacher. Rev. Peter Cartwright. The building now stands (1912) on the Seacord farm east of town and is doing service as a barn.

The presiding elders of the district, including Knox county, have been R. Haney, John Morey, Milton Bourne, H. Summers, Francis Smith, W. H. Hunter, B. C. Swarts, A. K. Tullis, W. M. Collins, M. C. Bowlin, J. S. Cummings, G. J. Luckey, M. A. Head, H. D. Clark, J. H. Ryan, R. E. Buckey, Joe Bell.

The second session of the Central Illinois conference (organized in 1856) was held in Abingdon in 1857. A session of the conference was held in Galesburg in 1862, when a memorial was sent to President Lincoln urging the emancipation of the slaves. Rev. Richard Haney, a notable Methodist preacher of this section for many years, has made the claim that said memorial was the first of a large number of such memorials sent to the president, and that it had much to do with the famous emancipation proclamation.

In 1872 a new brick and stone trimmed church was erected, replacing the old wooden structure on the corner of Kellogg and Tompkins streets. It was Gothic style, 45x90 feet, the most beautiful church of the denomination in the county in its time, and cost $36,000. It was remodeled in 1895, at an additional cost of $27,000 and on July 22, 1909 was destroyed by fire - a singular coincident of the burning of the church is noted that on the same day (July 22) thirty-seven years before, the corner stone laying exercises of the church were held.

An incident worthy of mention in connection with the events here described is that Rev. N. T. Allen, now a member of the official board of the present Galesburg church, was present at the dedication of the original church in 1853 ; also at the dedication of the new church in 1873 ; also at the dedication of the remodeled church in 1895 ; and also present at the laying of the corner stone of the magnificent new church now in the course of construction at the corner of Kellogg and Ferris streets.

^: - During the whole history of the Galesburg church, the Sunday school has been an important factor in the progress of the church. So far as may be determined with certainty, the following have served as superintendents in chief: John A. Marshall, C. C. Merrill, O. B. Folger, Matthew Andrews, H. E. Judson, S. A. Wagoner, W. A. Jordan, R. W. Roadstrum.

The Epworth League, the Ladies' Aid Society, the Woman's Foreign and Home Missionary Societies, the Standard Bearers, the Men's Brotherhood, and other similar societies have all been worthy of mention.

The new building now nearing completion will cost with grounds and equipment over $100,000. The corner stone was laid Sunday, October i, 1911, by David G. Downey, D. D. The building committee are :

Rise And Progress Of Swedish Methodism

The organization and growth of the Methodist church under John Wesley, in England in 1739, and in America in 1784, with Wesley's approval, under leadership of Philip Embury, Thomas Webb, Richard Boardman, Joseph Pilmoor, Francis Asbury, Richard Wright, Thomas Coke, Richard Whatcoat, Thomas Vasey and others, is authentic history, familiar to many and accessible to any one, but the history of the rise and progress of Swedish Methodism, an integral of the Church of John Wesley, is little known, and nowhere written in the English language, and it is to supply this omission that the writer offers this article to the readers of the History of Knox County, Illinois, the history of this church being so inseparably connected with that of the county, that the history of the county without that of the church must necessarily be incomplete.

"Who hath despised the day of small things?" was asked centuries before the dawn of the Christian era, affording reason for the belief that some people then living, made the mistake of despising small things, and in so doing, gave divine offense, subjecting themselves to loss, and the displeasure and censure of prophet and seer.

If simple folk, in primitive times, were prone to discount beginnings, and set small value upon embryo matter, no wonder that in an age like the twentieth century, the shrine of big things only, attracts devotees en mass, and enjoys acclaim, and that matters of any kind, however meritorious, if small unassuming and modest, often fail of recognition and support, because the scale of their beginnings is in the diminutive. However, the fact remains that many, if not all, of the colossal things of the present, are but the result of small and insignificant beginnings of the near or remote past, and therefore youth of this age, tempted especially to want to begin at the zenith, impatient of any suggestion of need of a required period of effort and growth, preceding fruition of hope, do well to study the present in the light of the past and the experiences of the fathers, and learn, that the admired, magnificent, finished superstructure, or finished product, delighting the eye and thrilling the senses, and over which we exclaim, to the one who can read, always tells the mean story of laborious excavation, foundation building course by course, then construction round upon round, through weary days and months and possibly years of tedious toil, and toil of brawn and brain.

little City of Bethlehem, saying - "And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, are not least of the princes of Juda, for out of thee shall come a governor that shall rule my people Israel," and if it be not deemed a sacrilege, for purposes of this article, the writer desires to paraphrase this prophecy thus : "And thou Victoria, in the land of Illinois, art not least among the cities of Illinois, for out of thee has come a church, that is blessing thousands upon thousands of my people."

- December 15, 1846, Jonas Hedstrom, by occupation a blacksmith, and by the grace of God, a preacher, in Victoria, Illinois, organized the first Swedish Methodist church in America and in the world. The causes that lead to the founding of the Methodist sect among the Swedes, anti-dates this period, however, by many years, and must be related in this connection to afford correct knowledge of facts, and to give due credit where credit belongs. Olof G. Hedstrom, older brother of Jonas Hedstrom, born in Sweden, 1803, emigrated to America in 1825, landing in New York city. This brother's conversion occurred in Dr. Phoebus' church in New York, in 1829, three weeks after his marriage to the godly and piously zealous Caroline Pinckney.

Four years after his conversion, in 1833. O. G. Hedstrom revisited his native land, for the express purpose of testifying to the saving grace of God, to those of his own blood, and so effectual was his testimony, that not only his parents, but also his brother Jonas, ten years his junior, joyfully embraced salvation.

Having seen the object of his visit to the land of his birth accomplished, O. G. Hedstrom returned to America, that same year, bringing his brother Jonas back with his to his adopted country.

Following his return to America, O. G. Hedstrom, up to that time a successful tailor and merchant, abandoned secular pursuits for the ministry entering the New York conference of the Methodist Episcopal church on probation in 1835, laboring successfully in that connection as an English speaking Methodist preacher, in various appointments, until 1845, when, on May I4th of that year, he was appointed by the presiding bishop of the conference convened in the Forsyth Street church. New York, to the North River mission, the first instance of a Swedish Methodist minister being appointed to labor among Scandinavians in America. But while serving English speaking churches, being stationed in New York city and environments for ten years, from 1835 to 1845, Mr. Hedstrom had done much missionary work among Swedish sailors and emigrants on incoming vessels, and among these had won many converts, some of whom, returning to the home land, told of their conversion, and their testimonies, prayers, exhortations and interpretation of scripture, had the effect of arousing an interest in religious and spiritual things, among large numbers of people in all parts of Sweden, who were called "readers," because of their constant searching of the scriptures and earnest effort to conform to its teaching.

Incidentally, out of this movement grew the Jansonist revival under Eric Janson and Olof Olson, men of fine character, and unusual power and ability, who coming in touch with O. G. Hedstrom and his converts in America and Sweden, had experienced conversion. These godly men, and their ardent loyal followers were subjected to persecution, imprisonment and confiscation of propt/] little City of Bethlehem, saying - "And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, are not least of the princes of Juda, for out of thee shall come a governor that shall rule my people Israel," and if ic be not deemed a sacrilege, for purposes of this article, the writer desires to paraphrase this prophecy thus : "And thou \'ictoria. in the land of Illinois, art not least among the cities of Illinois, for out of thee has come a church, that is blessing thousands upon thousands of my people." - -;;.;',. I - . \:

December 15, 1846, Jonas Hedstrom. by occupation a blacksmith, and by the grace of God. a j^reacher. in \'ictoria. Illinois, organized the first Swedish Methodist church in America and in the world. The causes that lead to the founding of the Methodist sect among the Swedes, anti-dates this period, however, by many years, and must be related in this connection to afford correct knowledge of facts, and to give due credit where credit belongs. Olof G. Hedstrom. older brother of Jonas Hedstrom, born in Sweden. 1803. emigrated to America in 1825. landing in Xew York city. This brother's conversion occurred in Dr. Phoebus' church in Xew York, in 1829. three weeks after his marriage to the godly and piously zealous Caroline Pinckney.

Four years after his conversion, in 1833. (). G. Hedstrom revisited his native land, for the express purpose of testifying to the saving grace of God. to those of his own blood, and so effectual was his testimony, that not only his parents, but also his brother Jonas, ten years his junior, joyfully embraced salvation.

Having seen the object of his visit to the land of his birth accomplished. O. G. Hedstrom returned to America, that same year, bringing his brother Jonas back with his to his adopted country. . . I

Following his return to America. O. G. Hedstrom, up to that time a successful tailor and merchant, abandoned secular jnirsuits for the ministry entering the Xew York conference of the Methodist Episcopal church on probation in 1835, laboring successfully in that connection as an Fnglish speaking Methodist preacher, in various appointments, until 1845. when, on May I4th of that year, he was a])pointed by the presiding bishop of the conference convened in the Forsyth Street churcii. Xew York, to the Xorth River mission, the first instance of a .Swedish Methodist minister being appointed to labor among Scandinavians in America. But while serving English speaking churches, being stationed in Xew York city and environments for ten years, from 1835 to 1845, ^Ir. Hedstrom had done much missionary work among Swedish sailors and emigrants on 'ucoming vessels, and among these had won many converts, some of whom, returning to the home land, ti^ld of their conversion, and their testimonies, prayers, exhortations and interpretation of scri])ture, had the effect of arousing an interest in religious and spiritual things, among large numbers of people in all parts of Sweden, who were called "readers." because of their constant searching of the scriptures and earnest effort to conform to its teaching.

Incidentally, out of this movement grew the Jansonist revival under Eric Janson and Olof Olson, men of fine character, and unusual power and ability, who coming in touch with O. G. He<lstrom and his converts in America and Sweden, had experienced conversion. These godly men, and their ardent loyal followers were subjected to persecution, imprisonment and confiscation of prop- erty, and when opportunity offered in 1846, many Jansonists emigrated to America, enduring great hardships and privations, but finally, successfully established in Bishop Hill, Henry county, Illinois, a flourishing Swedish communistic colony. To their original numbers were added many thousand more in the years 1847, '48, '49, '50, '51, '52, '53, '54, '55 and later, and to these hardy, virile, honest, godfearing men and women of the frozen northland, Illinois and her happy contented successful citizen, owe no small meed of praise, for their early contribution to the prosperity and development of a great virgin state.

Beginning with his appointment to the North River mission in 1845, O. G. Hedstrom commenced a service for his fellow countrymen, in his mother tongue, that continued uninterruptedly through three full decades till 1875, when he retired from active service, and two years later, on the 5th of May, 1877, was summoned to his reward. The scene of this unwonted long service, was laid in the North river. New York, the gateway to America for countless thousands of Swedish emigrants coming here from 1845 to 1875.

Associated with George T. Cobb, whose gift of fifty dollars was the first contribution for the cause, O. G. Hedstrom, with William G. Rogers and others of the Asbury M. E. church of New York, purchased the good ship Henry Seeds, lying in North river, rechristening it to the John Wesley, often familiarly and lovingly referred to as the Bethel ship, a veritable gospel ship, and here, upon this ship, lying in its slip, tugging at its chains and anchor, seven days in the week for thirty years, the precious gospel truth of full, free and present salvation was sown with unsparing hand by this man of God and his co-laborers - ^but all the work done on the Bethel ship, John Wesley, was purely missionary through the many years of its long existence, and its founder, resolutely refused to surrender it for a permanent land work, although he lent his aid to cottage work among his countrymen in Brooklyn and New York, which eventually resulted in the organization of the Emanuel Swedish M. E. church in Brooklyn in 1866, and the Lexington Avenue Swedish M. E. church in New York city, in 1874.

Accompanying his brother O. G. Hedstrom to America on his return to the land of his adoption in 1833, after his brief visit to Sweden, Jonas Hedstrom spent the first five years of his life in this country in New York and Pennsylvania, and in 1838 came to Illinois, stopping in Victoria, Knox county, where, soon after his arrival, he married Diantha Sornberg.

The young people lived for a short time two miles east of Victoria, in a neighborhood then called Earmington, but soon returned to Victoria, where Hedstrom continued to live until his death. May ii, 1859.

A year after coming to Victoria, Jonas Hedstrom began to preach, and since there were no people of his nationality there at that time, his services for four or five years were conducted in English, until beginning with 1845, large numbers of incoming Swedes settling in various points in Illinois supplied a constituancy of his own countrymen, to whom he devoted himself thereafter exclusively. Comparatively soon, now, the consequences of the coming of the young Swede, Olof G. Hedstrom, to our friendly shores in 1825, his conversion among English speaking Methodists, and attendent missionary efforts as layman and preacher, with his own family, among his own countrymen, in the fatherland and in New York harbor for a period of thirteen years, ripened in the organization of the Swedish Methodist church, not by himself, in New York, but by a convert - his brother, a thousand miles removed from the scenes of his own activity, in a little, inland, Illinois prairie town.

The Swedish Methodist mother church, founded December 15, 1846, in Victoria, Illinois, by Jonas Hedstrom, the blacksmith lay-preacher, had indeed a small beginning, the place of its birth being a tiny log house, in a little frontier village, with an original, or charter, membership of only five souls, namely: Jonas Hedstrom and wife, Andrew Hjelm and wife and Peter Newberg - but as in this article we follow the story of the progress of the Swedish Methodist church from its beginning till the present time, even when endeavoring to give credit to her men, ministry and laity, as the immediate agents of her advancement, so remarkable appears her accomplishment, we shall be lead to exclaim spontaneously, "What hath God wrought !"

After organization, the growth of the Victoria Swedish Methodist society under Mr. Hedstrom's watchful care and zeal, was steady and constant, and it soon assumed a magnitude and influence in the community of no mean proportion, and now in 1912, after sixty-six years of splendid continuous history, and having sent out scores of her people into Iowa. Nebraska and Kansas who have organized and built up Swedish Methodist societies in those states, she has a remaining membership of 120, and carries on all of the activities of a live aggressive church. The ministers, who have served the mother church as stationed pastors, after the passing of the circuit riders, are : N. O. Westergreen, V. Witting, Peter Newberg, Albert Ericson, N. Peterson, Lott Lindquist, J. H. Ekstrand, H. W. Eklund, John Burstrom, A. Walgren, H. Olson, C. E. Livin, J. B. Anderson, P. M. Johnson, Hugo Aim, J. A. Palmquist, Olof Johnson, J. P. Miller, Otto A. Rabe, John Borgeson, Andrew Hermanson, Theodore N. Peterson, Martin Hess, H. W. Willing, Nels W. Bard and the present encumbent, A. J. Strandell. - ; - > - ;. ^:

In 1847, in Peoria, Illinois, Mr. Hedstrom was admitted on trial in the Central Illinois conference of the Methodist Episcopal church, and three years later, July I, 1850, in Plainfield, Illinois, was ordained an elder by Bishop L. L. Hamline, and with the prestige of the recognition and approval thus given him by the church, Mr. Hedstrom was encouraged to begin an active campaign of conservation and expansion, which resulted in gathering about himself, from among his converts, a group of helpers and co-laborers, with whose assistance, he pushed his activities beyond Victoria and environments, to more remote and distant points. The first preachers sharing with Mr. Hedstrom the honors of the extension of Swedish Methodism, after the founding of the mother church, coming to him and the work in order named, were Andrew Ericson, John Brown, Peter Challman, Peter Newberg, Eric Shogren, Victor Witting and S. B. Newman, and the first circuit these seven men, with Hedstrom, traveled, after the manner of the early Methodist follow up system of visitation, with Victoria as the place of beginning, was Wataga, LaEayette, Knoxville, Galesburg, Andover, ^loline, Geneseo and Chicago, all in Illinois, and New Sweden in Iowa, and in 1854, the combined enrolled membership of these several places had reached 480 souls, all gained by conversion, and profession of faith.

In only four other places in Knox county, besides Victoria, namely, Wataga, Knoxville, Altona and Galesburg was any work done by Mr. Hedstrom and colaborers for the very good reason that here only were found any Swedish settlers, .r;. .> : :

In Knoxville and Altona small classes were formed, but no church organization was effected or church building enterprise begun and in due time, through removals, and merging into the English speaking Methodist churches, this membership was dissipated and Swedish Methodism at these points became extinct but the work in Wataga and Galesburg proved permanent and together with Victoria, constitute the places in Knox county, where the Swedish Methodist church is actively at work in 1912.

The church in Wataga, although having a good house of worship and in its earlier history especially a fairly strong membership, with rare exceptions has had no resident pastors, being served instead in turn by the early circuit riders, and pastors in charge of other nearby churches in Knox, Henry and Mercer counties.

Until recently it has maintained a fine Sunday school but because of diminishing numbers have now abandoned it. The present church membership is only twenty, and growing less, and ere long this society will have passed, but its influence will remain long thereafter, for out of it into other churches in Wataga and in western churches have gone splendid men and women who gratefully and lovingly remember the Wataga Swedish Methodist church as their alma mater in Christian teaching, piety and practice.

The Galesburg Swedish Methodist church, had its origin, primarily, in a little class of Swedish worshipers and converts, gathered about Mr. Hedstrom on his periodical visits, and this class was the nucleus also of the English speaking, or First Methodist church, of Galesburg, for to the small body of Swedes, attracted to Mr. Hedstrom's services, came too, increasing numbers of English speaking sympathizers, who soon by very preponderance of numbers, became the dominant body, and with their Swedish fellow Methodist, organized the First Methodist church of Galesburg in 1847. The original Swedish class con- - tinued to fellowship and worship with the English church until 1848, when a large number of Swedish new comers, coming direct to Galesburg from Sweden, via New York and Olof G. Hedstrom's North River Bethel Ship mission, unable to benefit by the English language in public services, required an exclusive Swedish society, and then the Swedes, with the godspeed, blessing and material aid of their English speaking brethren, withdrew from the First Methodist church, and under Jonas Hedstrom, formally organized the Swedish Methodist church, and built a little chapel of their own, on the north side of Ferris street, between Seminary and Kellogg streets, which continued to be their church home and scene of Christian work and activity until 1872, when the society built and moved to their present church, at the corner of Waters and Kellogg streets.

The Galesburg church at present numbers a membership of three hundred, owning excellent church and parsonage properties and is vigorous and aggressive in all forms of Christian activities, and of her sons and daughters, not a few gifted, godly men and women, have gone out as ministers, missionaries and Sunday school workers, who in life and deed reflect great credit upon this church and ministry, evidencing unmistakably, faithful and unfaltering inculcation of the plain, sound doctrine and teaching of John Wesley, through a period of sixty-five years or more. The ministers who have served the Galesburg church are first the pioneer preachers as circuit riders, namely,

. Hedstrom, Brown, Challman, Newberg, Shogren, Witting, and Newman, fol- :>., lowed beginning with 1857, by the stationed preachers, A. J. Anderson, Peter

;' Newberg, Lott Lindquist, N. O. Westergreen, A. J. Anderson (second term), S. B. Newman, N. O. Westergreen (second term), John Linn, Alfred Anderson, O. Gunderson, H. W. Eklund, Eric Shogren, C. G. Nelson, Nels Eagle, A. G. Johnson, Martin Hess, Olof Johnson, H. L. Lindquist, John W. Swenson, and the present pastor, Theodore N. Peterson, whose service began with his appointment to the charge in September, 1910.

- This space has been given to the Victoria, Wataga and Galesburg churches, because they are Knox county institutions, and from them, following the causes leading to their organization, emanate largely the infiuences developing into a nation wide American Swedish Methodism and extending also into the three Scandinavian countries, Sweden, Norway and Denmark. For thirty-one years after the organization of the first society, the individual Swedish Methodist churches

': found their conference connection within the boundary of some English speaking conference, and scarcely thought of any other possible arrangement, until -: at a free conference or gathering held in Oiicago in 1866, the desirability of a -: distinctively Swedish Methodist conference was earnestly discussed, and the advisability of an appeal to the general conference for an enabling act, to or-

- ganize such conference, seriously considered, but no movement looking to a realization of this advance was made then, nor indeed, until a whole decade later, when the general conference granted the petition of the Swedish churches and preachers, and the North West Swedish Methodist Episcopal conference was organized in Galesburg, Illinois, in September 1877, «^"d the magnitude of the work, and field covered by this conference, may be seen, when it is realized that the boundary of the conference extended from New York on the east, westward, including churches in New York, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas and Missouri.

One of the epoch marking events in the advance of the Swedish Methodist 1: '- .; . church as a body, was the establishment of its church organ Sandebudet (Mesr .;;-/, senger) in 1860, in Chicago, a publication still existing, still growing, and now -;...;. as ever a great force in furthering the interests of Swedish Methodism. A di- : ';-' -- vinity school projected in 1870, temporarily operated in Galesburg for two years, : ' .V and thereafter permanently located in Evanston, Illinois, greatly conducing to ---: v:' . the welfare and advancement of all of the societies, is one of the early big things , , : .: . achieved by the Swedish Methodist church and reflects its wisdom and foresight, ' ;;,.:- for out of this school, for forty years, has come hei- best men, supplying her with upon this churcli aiul ministry, evidencing unmistakably, faithful and unfalterin.ij inculcation of the plain, sound doctrine and teaching of John \\'esley, through a period of sixty-five years or more. The ministers who have served the C'lalcsburg church are first the pioneer preachers as circuit riders, namely, Hedstrom. I'>ro\vn. Challman, Xewberg, Shogren, Witting, and Newman, followed beginning with 1857, by the stationed preachers. A. J. Anderson, Peter Newberg, Lott Lindquist, N. O. Westergreen, A. J. Anderson (second term), S. 15. Newman, N. O. Westergreen (second term), John Linn, Alfred Anderson, (). (lunderson. H. W. Eklund, Eric Shogren, C. G. Nelson, Nels Eagle, A. G. Johnson, Martin Hess, Olof Johnson, H. L. Lindquist, John W. Swenson, and the present ])astor. Theodore N. Peterson, whose service began with his appointment to the charge in September, 1910.

This sjiace has been given to the X'ictoria, Wataga and Galesburg churches, because they are Knox county institutions, and from them, following the causes leading to their organization, emanate largely the influences developing into a nation wide American Swedish Methodism and extending also into the three Scandinavian countries, Sweden, Norway and Denmark. Eor thirty-one years after the organization of the first society, the individual Swedish Methodist churches found their conference connection within the boundary of some English speaking conference, and scarcely thought of any other possible arrangement, until at a free conference or gathering held in Chicago in 1866, the desirability of a distinctively Swedish Methorlist conference was earnestly discussed, and the advisability of an appeal to the general conference for an enabling act, to organize such conference, seriously considered, but no movement looking to a realization of this advance was made then, nor indeed, until a whole decade later, when the general conference granted the petition of the Swedish churches and preachers, and the North West Swedish Methodist Episcopal conference was organized in dalesburg, Illinois, in September 1877, ''"*' ^'^^ magnitude of the work, and field covered by this conference, may be seen, when it is realized that the boundary of the conference extended from New York on the east, westward, including churches in New York. Pennsylvania, Indiana. Illinois, Wisconsin. Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas and Missouri.

One of the epoch marking events in the advance of the Swedish Methodist church as a l)o(ly, was the establishment of its church organ Sandebudet (Messenger) in 1860, in Chicago, a publication still e.xisting, still growing, and now as ever a great force in furthering the interests of Swedish Methodism. A divinity school projected in 1870. temporarily ojjcrated in (ialesburg for two years, and thereafter permanently located in Evanston, Illinois, greatly conducing to the welfare and advancement of all of the societies, is one of the early big things achieved by the Swedish Methodist church and reflects its wisdom and foresight, for out of this school, for forty years, has come her best men. supplying hef with able editors, professors, preachers and missionaries.

From the foregoing, the discerning reader can readily trace the hand of providence, in meeting in an emergency, the spiritual needs of a poor, alien, helpless people, and as easily, too, follow the same providential leading in the raising up of men, and effecting means for the extension, expansion and larger growth of a work peculiarly fitted to permanently influence and mould religiousf ly, thousands upon thousands of Swedes, coming to America to make and build homes, for while now, in this favored land, we have large bodies of Swedish Evangelical Christian churches, other than the Methodist, some of which largely overshadow her in numerical strength, and temporal wealth, it remains true, that all of these owe something to her, as the pioneer church, forerunner, pathfinder, and advance agent of success, as seen from the view point of Christian Swedish churches, and in this connection it is especially pleasant to chronicle, -that the disposition everywhere, by the informed, among her Swedish sister churches of other denominations, is, to accord to her generous and grateful acknowledgment, which she in turn, gracefully, and with becoming modesty accepts - a situation which, if rare, yet at once is beautiful, and conducive to genuine Christian unity.

In America, at the present time, the Swedish Methodist Episcopal church . has four conferences, and one mission conference, namely : Central Swedish, Western Swedish, Northern Swedish, Eastern Swedish, and Pacific Swedish mission, outgrowths of the original North West Swedish conference, with an ordained and local ministry numbering three hundred and ten, and a total laity membership of seventeen thousand six hundred and fifty four, and in addition to churches and members shepherded by pastors within these conferences, also has churches and pastors in the English Austin and Gulf conferences of Texas and Lx)uisiana, which added easily raises the total Swedish Methodist constituency in America beyond 18,000, and to this figure, to get the grand total of the numerical strength of Swedish Methodism, is to be added also, three hundred and four clerical, and seventeen thousand four hundred and four laity members of the church in Sweden, a direct result of O. G. Hedstrom's work in the Bethel ship in New York harbor and of Jonas Hedstrom's work in Victoria, making a combined Swedish Methodist membership in Sweden and America, of seven hundred and four preachers, and approximately thirty-six thousand laymen. Nor is the harvest reaped through the agency of the Swedish Methodist church, with the Hedstrom brothers as its founders, limited to the confines of America and Sweden, for out of it too has grown the separate Norwegian and Danish Methodist work in America, Norway and Denmark, and Methodist Episcopal work in Finland, and Saint Petersburg, Russia.

Of the denominational enterprises and interests projected by the Swedish Methodist church, are to be enumerated the Theological seminary at Evanston, Illinois, with buildings valued at sixty-five thousand dollars, and an endowment of forty thousand dollars. The Theological school of Sweden at Upsala having a building worth four thousand dollars and an endowment of twenty-two thousand dollars in American money - a Swedish general college and educational institution at Austin, Texas - Bethany Home at Ravenswood, Illinois, for aged indigent people, with property valued at forty-five thousand dollars, and an endowment of thirty-seven thousand, a similar home, recently launched at Clay Center, Kansas, and yet another more lately projected in the Eastern Swedish conference. A fiourishing paying book-publishing concern in Chicago, and one in Sweden. Susanna Wesley home for homeless Swedish girls in Chicago, Sandebudet, organ of the Swedish Methodist church in America; Epworth Klockan, the young people's paper; Sondags-Skol Baneret, the Sunday school publication, and Lilla Sandebudet, the organ of the church in Sweden, and ad- -:--.- ditional to these are a church fire insurance company, a ministerial life assurance company, and the Swedish Methodist Aid association now in its thirtyfourth year, solvent, sound and secure as the Rock of Gibraltar, meriting and enjoying universal confidence. ..--..

That the indomitable spirit of conquest characteristic of John Wesley, founder of Methodism, has been bequeathed in rich measure to the Swedish Methodist church, is self evident, for, like him, it too deems the world to be its parish - . and therefore, the harbor of New York with its hundreds of thousands of on-. -; coming Scandinavians, or the fertile plains of Illinois, the great pioneer west*, v- . northwest, southwest, and Pacific states, the teeming cities of New England,, -'r. nor Sweden, Finland or St. Petersburg, though generously yielding to the appeal of her noble ambassadors of the cross, have been able to contain her, and so today, in the sunrise or hermit kingdom. Doctor Garfield Anderson and Sister Naomi, worthy son and daughter of a worthy sire, the Reverend Alfred Anderson, first student and graduate of the Swedish Methodist Theological seminary while located in Galesburg, now permanently established in Evanston, are preaching the gospel of Christ and of Methodism, in Wonju, Korea, and projecting and establishing a Swedish Methodist memorial hospital in that . city, making Swedish Methodism synonymous with world wide Methodism, for, from the rising to the setting of the sun, in a circle of ten thousand miles, her preachers and missionaries may now be found and the proofs of her beneficent ministry seen. ''-- -

Concerning the polity and teaching of the Swedish Methodist church but little, perhaps, if anything, need be said in this article, for these are identical with that of the Methodist Episcopal church, of which the Swedish Methodist church is an integral part, and are well known. In government it is Episcopal, in form of worship ritualistic, in belief Armenian, and in method and manner of work Evangelistic. Its law-making body is the general conference, which meets once in a quadrennium, and is composed of the bishops, as presiding officers, and of an equal number of clerical and lay delegates, representative of . the whole church. -

The annual conference, a body corporate of the ministers within a given conference boundary, of which, at the time of the last general conference, in 1908, there were 132, has the temporal and spiritual supervision of the churches within its boundary. The quarterly conference is the authorized business body of the local church, confirming acts of pastors, officials and committees, approv- r ; ing and directing expenditures, and apportioning benevolences. ^ . .-;:,' .

So faithful to the belief and teaching of the founder of the Methodist church v are the pastors and churches of the Swedish Methodist church of today that everywhere, in all of their societies, now as in the days of the Hedstroms, or of the Wesleys and their co-workers, one may hear in sermon and exhortation the doctrine of the fall of man, conditional election, atonement and possible uni- - .; . versal redemption, salvation by grace, the danger of resisting grace, and possibility of falling from grace, while justification, the new birth and holiness or sanctification, are proclaimed as the necessity and privilege, of all men in Christ : Jesus. v\- ::.-'-.'- ; ':;, '-'-''---:-'-:--''--''.: '::V--;:-:':::.''- ::\'--:':

I am asked to tell, in a few words, what the Baptist denomination stands for, what it has contributed to the cause of religion, and to human welfare, and to give a short history of the Baptists of Knox county.

Prior to the German reformation, the expression of Christianity in denominationalism was very limited, but with the right of private judgment and freedom from ecclesiastical superiors, there arose a great variety of opinion in the interpretation of the New Testament and so modern denominationalism was the outgrowth, consequently, as a religious sect, the Baptists cannot claim a direct succession from apostolic times, but they do claim a spiritual succession, for the truths they have fostered and taught have always been held and practiced by followers of the Christ, though under various names.

While these truths have, -in part, been upheld by other sects, it remains an historical fact that the Baptists throughout their entire history, have consistently stood for practically the same doctrines that they hold today. From the earliest times, the Baptists have stood for the principle that religion is a personal matter between soul and God and so from this fundamental truth there has been evolved the statement which, probably more clearly and completely than any other expression, states the Baptist position, which they have always upheld, the doctrine of the soul's competency in religious matters under God, and this doctrine was a distinctive Baptist contribution to the world's thought.

The Biblical significance of the soul's competency is the right of the individual to the interpretation of and obedience to the scriptures, which alone are accepted as the rule of faith and life. This doctrine in relation to the individual means soul freedom, or the liberty of conscience. ,.-

Bancroft, the historian, says, regarding Roger Williams, the founder of the First Baptist church in America, and also founder of the first commonwealth (Rhode Island colony), in all history that exemplified the entire and absolute separation of religious and civil affairs that "He (Williams), the the first person in modern Christendom to assert in its plenitude the doctrine of the liberty of conscience and the equality of opinion before the law. Williams would permit persecutions of no opinion of religion, leaving heresy unharmed by law and orthodoxy unprotected by the terrors of penal laws. Freedom of conscience, unlimited freedom of mind was, from the first, the trophy of the Baptists."

The ecclesiastical* significance of this great doctrine of the competency of the soul is, the equality of believers and a regenerate membership, or a membership where each individual for himself, having received an experience of divine truth, has surrendered himself to Jesus Christ as savior and Lord.

Perhaps more than all other doctrines, this has been the cause of controversy, strife, persecution and martyrdom of thousands in many lands, under many names through centuries of intolerance and oppression.

The Pedo-Baptists, as the established church under various names was generally called, standing for the efficacy of infant baptism and sharing in the administration of civil governments; while the Ana-Baptists, or Re-Baptizers, stood for the baptism of believers only, using the scriptural mode of immersion.

A Baptist church is a simple democracy where each member has a voice and ihe majority rule. Each church is a unit recognizing no higher ecclesiastical authority than itself, and these churches are banded together solely for the purpose of unifying and strengfthening denominational interests and promoting its great missionary undertakings, which have been signally blessed throughout the world.

And lastly, the significance of this paramount doctrine of the soul's competency, politically, is the entire separation of church and state; while other denominations have shared with the Baptists in the promulgation of many phases of religious truth, to them belong the credit of holding the unique position of always and everywhere advocating this great principle of the total separation of all religious from civil affairs, which they claim as the very foundation of a pure church and a stable government. ' .-

Very significant, indeed, in all Baptist history has been their love of liberty. In the dark centuries preceding the reformation and afterwards; in Germany, in Switzerland, in France, in Sweden and in England; in Cromwell's army on land and on sea are found the liberty loving baptists. How very significant also was the part they had in the great struggle for religious and civil liberty on this side of the Atlantic, which resulted in the formation of this union of states, the first government among men where all are guaranteed freedom of worship and equality before the law.

Of deep interest in that early struggle for independence was the convention called by the Baptist churches of the colony of Virginia, more than sixty in number who met in Dover May, 1775, and adopted a petition asking for full religious liberty, which petition was presented to that memorable convention called in 1775 by the colonies, "to consider the state of the county." A committee composed of Jeremiah Waller, John Williams and George Roberts presented this petition to the convention of delegates representing the colonies and enlisted as champions of the measure such leaders as Thos. Jefferson, James Madison and Patrick Henry.

The constitution of the United States adopted in September, 1787, provides: "No religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust in the United States." The Baptists were not satisfied with this declaration and again called a meeting of the churches of Virginia in March, 1788. This movement, in which the Presbyterians joined, resulted in the first amendment to the constitution, which reads : "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof or abridging the freedom of speech or of the press or the right of the people to assemble and to petition the government for redress of grievances."

And thus was incorporated into the organic law of the land the old Baptist doctrine of soul liberty, and the world for the first time in all its history saw a great nation where men were free to worship God in their own way, with no one to molest or make afraid.

The earliest Baptist preacher in Knox county was probably Elder John Logan, who organized the church in Knoxville and in other nearby settlements in Stark, Fulton, Warren and other counties in the early '3os. Elder Stickney was another pioneer preacher in this county and was the first resident pastor of the Galesburg church, as will be shown later in this paper.

:' In 1837 the first colony came to this place from the east to establish a college. It was at the time when our great state was just emerging from a wilderness of prairies. Springfield had just been made the capital. It was the year when the murder of Elijah Lovejoy, the state's first martyr to the cause of slavery, so agitated the people. The first railroad was in process of construction, but it was the prairie schooner that brought the ever-increasing immigration into the state.