1915 History of the
Disciples of Christ in Illinois
Barnett.
Organized 1878, by J. S. Sweeney; present membership, 40; value of
property, $1,500; Bible school enrollment, 40.
This was first known as the Shaw's Point Church and moved after the town
grew on the new railroad. While in the country, it had a large and
influential membership.
Harvel.
Organized 1888, by Isaac Beckelhymer; present membership, 89; value of
property, including parsonage, $2,300; Bible school began 1888; present
enrollment, 80.
Daniel Adams led in the formation of this congregation. Evangelist
Beckelhymer led in a three weeks' meeting and organized with twenty-three
members. These meetings were held in the M. E. chapel, for which the
community had paid with the understanding that it should be for all Onstian
people. In another meeting the next year the doors were closed against Mr.
Beckelhymer. A chapel was soon finished. The church was once temporarily
crippled by an unworthy pastor from Arkansas. Mr. Beckelhymer is held in
high regard by this church. They have had many protracted meetings and have
always maintained the order of the Lord's house on the Lord's Day. H. M.
Carey is clerk.
Hillsboro.
Organized 1905, by E. O. Sharpe; present membership, 60; value of property,
$2,200; Bible school began 1905; present enrollment, 64.
Mr. Sharpe, as evangelist of the Fifth District, first preached in the
courthouse in 1904. A series of meetings, continuing fifty-one days, was led
by Evangelists Lawrence and Edward Wright. There were seventy-one charter
members. Mr. Sharpe became the first pastor. A good lot was bought and the
chapel finished in 1909. J. W. Wilkes is clerk.
Irving.
Organized 1853; present membership, 100; value of property, $2,000; Bible
school began 1890; present enrollment, 75.
There were eighteen charter members, some of whom were: J. M. Tanlbee;
James, Nancy and Maria Markham; Elijah, Mary, William and Eliza Osborn;
James Osborn and wife and son; Henry Lowery and wife and two daughters.
Maria Markham is the sole survivor. They held their meetings in the
schoolhouse when it was available and in groves in the summer-time.
Ministers Ward and Taulbee preached when a place could be secured. In 1876,
Minister Gilbert reorganized the congregation with twenty-one members. In
1878 a chapel was built and L. M. Linn served the church one-half time. W.
H. Boles held a great meeting in 1885. Then J. H. Garrison preached for the
church. Finis Idleman held the congregation a good meeting. The resident
pastor is C. W. Garst. W. M. Berry has led the Bible school faithfully and
efficiently as superintendent since its beginning. B. B. Tyler held a
meeting here, as district evangelist, in 1863, which he then thought a
failure, but it gave J. C. Mason, now of Texas, to the church and to the
Christian ministry.
Litchfield.
Organized 1856, by J. C. Reynolds; present membership, 742; value of
property, $11,000; Bible school began 1856; present enrollment, 743.
Minister Reynolds was evangelizing under the direction of the State Board
when the church was constituted. Among the first who preached there were
Ministers Sims, W. H. Brown, J. W. Kellar, J. S. Sweeney and B. B. Tyler.
First a small frame chapel was built. Later a one-room brick building.
During the pastorate of Mr. Purlee the present edifice was erected at the
corner of Union Avenue and Harrison Street.
Among those who did faithful service in establishing the church there were
W. C. Henderson, H. A. Jones, Thomas Harlow, M. C. Hoagland, Mrs. Matilda
O'Bannon and Mrs. Adeline Elliott.
Charles W. Ross closed a very successful pastorate of several years in 1913.
I. W. Agee is the present pastor.
Pleasant Hill (Barnett).
Present membership, 71; value of property, $1,000; Bible school enrollment,
58.
Raymond.
Organized 1871, by Minister Ewing; present membership, 156; value of
property, $3,000; Bible school began 1871; present enrollment, 151.
Meetings were held in a storeroom for a year when the chapel, which is still
used for public worship, was built. Min. J. W. Ballinger reorganized the
church in 1875 with forty-three members and served as pastor for two to
three years. The officers at that time were J. R. Wylder, Orman White, J. W.
Potts, D. J. Parrott and Isaac Dodson, elders; J. H. Nevins, T. J. Scott, W.
A. Parrott and S. W. McElroy, deacons. Then there was occasional preaching
by sundry ministers till 1890. Isaac Beckelhymer then served as pastor and
was followed by others. The congregation has had about thirteen protracted
meetings by as many evangelists.
Miss Lou Watson was given to the ministry and served the church efficiently
as its pastor.
The congregation is united in its work, has a good C. E. and a well-attended
mid-week prayer-meeting. Fred Guthrie is the clerk; C. F. Shaul, pastor.
Waggoner.
Organized 1889, by Isaac Beckelhymer; present membership, 114; value of
property, $2,500; Bible school began 1889; present enrollment, 79.
The Sulphur Spring congregation was organized in 1857. Its location was four
miles west of Waggoner on the east edge of Macoupin County. Its first elders
were W. H. Kent, Wm. Street, Robert Brown and C. F. Richardson. It served
the community well during the period of its life and disbanded in 1884. The
building is now used for funerals only. A large cemetery has grown around
it.
The Waggoner congregation was organized by members from Sulphur Spring.
There were about twenty charter members. Jefferson Borton, H. H. Beektnan
and Willis Plain were the first elders. In 1890 the ladies' aid society
bought two lots and the chapel was finished in 1893. Meanwhile the meetings
were held in a hall. The same year Mrs. McCoy Crank held a successful
revival. The congregation has had eleven pastors. Orin Dilly is in the sixth
year of a very helpful pastorate.
Walshville.
Organized 1874, by T. J. Shelton; present membership, 50; value of property,
$2,200; Bible school enrollment, 56.
Min. A. D. Northcutt was prominent in the beginning of this effort. The
organization was made in the town hall with ten charter members. With little
social influence or means, and overshadowed by three strong denominations,
this little band trusted God, went to prayer and work and grew up to an
influential position.
The pastors were L. M. Linn, J. H. Garrison, J. H. Smart, H. P. Tandy and L.
F. Wood. For several years the Baptist chapel was used. In 1878 a very neat
house of worship was built. A number of ministers preached for the
congregation through several years. In 1904 their chapel was destroyed by
fire. The Bible school secured the privilege of using the M. E. chapel, but
was turned out the next year. The second building was finished early in
1908.
J. E. Story, Miss Rachael Dangerfield and Isaac Beckelhymer have served the
congregation in recent years. Miss Dangerfield was the pastor when the last
house was built.
There is a good C. E., and the congregation is active under the ministry of
W. A. Green. T. O. Tiffin is the clerk.
Extracted 28 Apr 2019 by Norma Hass from History of the Disciples of Christ in Illinois 1819-1914, by Nathaniel S. Haynes, published in 1915, pages 330-334.
