Herrick Township

Herrick Township

This congregation, together witli several others in the southern part of the county, has been Imt recently organized and is not very strong. Herrick has a church building and a jiresent memliershi]) of 64, and 65 in the Rible school. Thomas Brewer is the corresponding member. The southern portion of the county is not blessed with a rich soil, but God can even make this to abound in the riches of His grace.

It will thus lie seen that there are scattered over the county nearly 2,000 disciples, with 21 church organizations, and 19 houses of worship, erected at a cost of $50,000, all of which stand as monuments to the loyalty, sacrifice, and de¬ votion of those who stand for the restoration of

The organization of a society of the African M. E. church, of which there is but one in the county, and that one in Sheltiyville, was effected by A. S. Williams in the summer of 1875. The families then residing here whose affiliations would naturally be with that church, were those of Mr. Williams himself, Henry Lee, R. Jones,

When the needs and circumstances seemed to warrant it, Mr .Williams sent for the Rev. }klr. Hand, pastor of the Mattoon A. M. E. church, who, upon his arrival, called together the follow¬ ing named people: Mrs. Cassey, Mrs. Haines, Mrs. Johnson, J. Hardy and R. Robertson. The first meeting was held in the old court house, and these meetings were continued in various places until 1885. In this year the members of this society set to work to build a church edifice of their own, in which they could feel that they were indeed at home. Many of the white citi¬ zens of Shelbyville co-operated with them, and kindly told them not to go outside of the city to secure money, as all that would be necessary would be forthcoming here. After building the church they were also enabled to build a par¬ sonage for the pastor.

This little band of valiant Christian workers has been zealously doing its part toward the evangelization of the city, and the support of the cause of Christ. The present membership is 18, with a good Sabbath school of 24 members. A.

Historic Sketch

The Methodist Episcopal church was the ])ioneer chnrcli in Shelby county. Indeed, before tlie county was organized the Methodist itiner¬ ant was on the ground, hunting the far scat¬ tered inhal)itants. gathering them together as best he could, and preaching to them the Word of Life.

In 1825. when Indiana, Illinois and Iowa were all one conference, the Rev. Josejdi Eoulks of the Shoal Creek circuit, came to Cold Spring and preached at the house of Mrs. Sallie Turner, on Robinson Creek. Joseph Eoulks was followed by Thomas Randle, Samuel H. Thompson, Win. L. Deneaue, Lorenzo Edwards and Milo Huffaker. The preachers went everywhere, without waiting to be invited. Their work was arduous, often without any compensation, but it was faithfully discharged.

The cause grew rapidly. Little societies were formed. Sunday schools organized, and ])reaching maintained, wherever a few peo])le could be brought together.

In 1830 a house of worship was begun on what is now North Morgan street. Shelbyville ; this was probably the first church building erected in the county. Societies were formed at Shelby Cha])el. St. Mary's. Sanner's, Mt. Car¬ mel. Pleasant Grove, Sulphur Springs, Mowea- (|ua and Stewardson. at an early day.

In 1859 G. R. L. McElfresh. still living and an honored member of Illinois conference, be¬ came preacher in charge. This year one ])erson was expelled from the church for <lancing. and another for Sal)bath breaking.

In i860 Alexander Sem])le became i>astor of the Shelbyville church, with a mcmbershii) of 8(y During the year C. C. Scovil offered $500 to be used in building a new church to cost $3,000.

In 1861 R. W. Travis, presiding elder, and R. Holding, was |)reacher in charge. The mem¬ bership of the church had grown to 123 and 36 probationers. Mr. Holding was re-appointed in 1862, but resigned during the year to become a chaplain in the army. The unex])ired ytar was supplied by A. C. \'andewater.

In 1863 .Mien Buckner became presiding elder, and W. X. MclClroy. now presiding elder of Jacksonville district, became jiastor of Shelby¬ ville church, and remained two years. These were vears of ])rosperity for the church. .X twostorv brick church was built on Main street, and the membership was increased to iqo.

X. Davies, three vears: Alexander Semple re¬ turned for a second term and remained two years. In 1873 Wm. Stevenson became pastor and remained three years. The following table, beginning with the second year of Mr. Steven¬ son's pastorate, and ending with the present date, gives a bird's eye view of the growth of the church in the county for the last twenty-five vears :

1877 - Shelbyville - First church, R. X. Davies, presiding elder; W'm. Steven.son, jiastor ; number of members, 315; number of churches, 1 ; value of church property, (including jiarsonages), $15,000; number of Sunday schools, 1; number of Sunday school scholars, 252.

1880 - Shelby ville - David (lay jiresiding elder; 1). W. English, pastor; number of mem¬ bers, 300; number of churches. 1 : value of church ])roperty, $8.coo ; number of Sunday schools. I : number of Sunday school scholars,

1881 - Shelbyville - First church. David Gay, presiding elder: |. B. Wolfe, pastor: num¬ ber of mend)ers, 264 : number of churches. 1 : value of church proi)erty. S8.000; number of Sundav schools, i ; number of Sunday school scholars. 325.

1882 - Sliclhyville - First church. David (lav, ])resi(ling' elder; J. J?. W'olfe, pastor; nuiuher of mend)ers, 262 ; miiuher of churches, i ; value of church ])roi)erty. $8,000; number of Sunday schools, 1 ; number of Sunday school scholars, 325.

1883 - Shelby ville - David Cay, ])residinf^ elder; J. Ik W'olfe. pastor. (Statistics of other charges in the county for this year not available.)

1886 - Shelbyville - First church, Horace Reed, presiding elder: J. H. Xoble. pastor; num¬ ber (jf members, 242 ; number of churches, i ; value of church ])roi)crty. $14,000; number of Sunday schools. 1 ; number of Sunday school Si holars. 168.

His Toric She Tch

1891 - Shelhyville - h'irst church, J. 'P. ( )rr, presidiuf^ elder; \\'. 1'. (lilhuore, pastor. (Statis¬ tics of church in the county for this year, not available.)

1895 - Shelbvvillc - First church, Robert Stephens, presidiiye^ elder ; W. F. ( jillmore, ])astor ; number of members, 295 ; churches. 1 ; value of church ])roperty, $12,500: number of Sunday schools, 1 ; number of Sunday school scholars, 145.

1896 - Shelby ville - Robert Stepbens, pre¬ siding elder; .\. P. T. Fwert. pastor; number of members, 346 ; number of churcbes. 1 ; value of churcb ])ro])erty. $1 2,500 : number of Sunday Schools. 1 ; number of Sunday school scholars, '25-

.\t the present time, there are. within the countv. ten ])astors. 2,220 members, 22 church buildings, ])ro])erty (including parsona,q'es ) valued at $69,400, twenty-four Sunday schools with 2,085 Sunday school scholars. The church is ^rowiu" from year to year, and will no doubt continue to be in the time to come, as it has in the ])ast, a "real benefit to the people.

His Tor 1C Ske Tch Frek Metiiodest

In doctrine the Free Methodist church adheres closely to the standard bearers of the M. E. church. The difference is chiefly in church j^overnnient.

Since it is written "Eet every one that weareth the name of Christ depart from ini(|uity," they make as a test of membership, the skiving' up of secret societies, the layinj.^ aside of superduous adorning-s and the abstaining from the use of opiates, such as tobacco and o])ium. .\s a church they stand i)ledj^ed to sui)])ort the ])olitical party that ])romises the ])rohibition of the li(|uor traffic, d'heir constant aim beiiyt( principle before i)olicy.

'I'he first I'ree Methodist church in Shelby county was orja^anized in 1881, by the Rev. \\b B. M. Colt, in Cowden, after a very successful re¬ vival meetino' in which the doctrine of entire sanctification was made prominent.

.-\s a result of definite preaching; of that doctrine and makin" the doctrine of Holiness a si)ecialtv, a ^^reat many were obedient to the faith, amono- whom were a number from the dif¬ ferent churches, and es])ecially the M. Iv church.

While many in the different chnrches, and outside of all churches, sought and professed to have obtained the e.xi)erience referred to above, this preaching raised a storm of ])ersecution. preachers taking a hand in it. until one promi¬ nent preacher said to his church ; "Sit down on holiness, and sit down on it hard." A ell that is what thev did ; they sat down so hard that the doctrine and its advocates were si)rcad over a good ])ortion of the county. But the main issue was not as much over doctrine of holiness of heart, as holiness of life ; many claiming that the scriptures were oi)i)osed to the idea of a Christian living without committing sin.

R. W. Sanderson was the first pastor, with W . S. Morrow as assistant, as the circuit then consisted of Cowden and Eitchfield, with several societies between. '1 he following year R. W. Sanderson was returned to what was then called the Cowden circuit, taking in I'leasant drove ami the old Ridge which is now i)art of the 'Power 1 1 ill circuit.

'1'. 11. .\gnew was pastor in 1884, remaining one year, and was followed by 'I'. J. Xoland, with J. W'. \\'. Kelley as assistant: the class at Beth¬ any being organized that year, also the society at Bana in the same year.

At present the Cowden circuit numbers i 14 members and six ])robationers, a total of 120; four local jireachers : three evangelists ; two Sun¬ day schools, with twenty-eight officers and teach¬ ers, and 152 scholars: value of church jiroperty. $3,000.

year, with very few exceptions, lias Iiad a camp meeting- in close proximity to the town lasting about two weeks, during which hundreds have been saved and gone out to other neighbor¬ hoods and other ilenominations to carry the gos])el of full salvation. At these animal gather¬ ings there are able and spiritual men in charge, who have left "all'' for Christ and have the work so at heart that Cod has ever been jdeased "to bless them with ont-])onying of the spirit in Pen¬ tecostal measure.

.\ nnmber of Cowden's most honored citi¬ zens are members of the 1'. M. church, toiling, sacrificing and contending for the faith once de¬ livered to the saints. Among them we mention Lon Torrence, who was noted as a man of busi¬ ness in church and state. He is among the first to obtain the experience and defend the doctrine of Entire Sanctification. He met a violent death, being crushed by an infuriated beast, but "his works do follow him." 'I'hen there were James Erizzell. Hilton Hunter, the Kesler l>ros.. be¬ sides others who were charter members, some of whom have gone to their reward, while others of them still walk these mortal shores and tell with burning zeal and holy fervor the trials and triumjihs of their faith during nearly of a (juarter of a centurv in which they have stood for the ])rinci])les of righteousness and reform.