| OtherChristian Churches Now in Schuyler County |
Bader
The village of Bader wasfirst visited by Beverly Curry in the year 1836, the first Christian preacher,and the meeting was held in the Joseph Dennis home. Four years later, in1840, a congregation was organized there with a membership of 31. ElderG. P. Wilson was the first employed pastor, in the year 1873, and in theyear 1876 the first church was erected at a cost of $1000.
Bethany
This congregation was organizedin the Garrison school house in Littleton township by Elders King and Patton,in the year 1839. In the year 1870 Rev. Alpheous Brown, with A. S. Robinson,re-organized this church, and a new building was erected one mile southof the school house, at a cost of $1,400, and A. S. Robinson was the firstregular pastor.
Camden
The first preaching to bedone in the village of Camden was by James McHatton and D. P. Hendersonin the year 1840. It was not until 19 years later, in the year 1859, thata congregation of 14 members, was organized by Thomas Butler. Dr. B. P.Watts was the first addition to this small group of members, and was thefirst to be immersed. In 1866, Henry Smither of Rushville held a meeting,assisted by A. H Rice, and 25 members (mostly heads of families) came intothe church. The first pastor was Thomas Butler. In the year 1875 came HenryPuett to hold a meeting, and as the result of this meeting the church membershipgrew to 100.
The church was built in theyear 1868 at a cost of $1,800, and on September 24, 1881, a tornado whichswept thru the village demolished the house of worship, leaving only thefloor and foundation. The following year a new church was built at a costof $1,000, which is the present house of worship.
Pleasant View
A. H. Rice was the firstChristian preacher in the village of Pleasant View, in the year 1865, andfive years later, in 1870, a congregation was organized, and in 1871 achurch was erected at a cost of $800. Thruout the intervening period ofalmost fourscore years since the Pleasant View church was organized, therehas been preaching at intervals, and a working Congregation has been maintained.
Frederick
The original organizationof the Frederick Christian church dates back almost 60 years, for it wason June 1, 1890 following the completion of the new house of worship, thatthe dedicatory sermon was preached Rev. D. E. Hughes, resident pastor ofthe Rushville Christian church.
It was thru the efforts ofa number of Frederick’s Christian women that the church was erected, amongthe number being Mrs Hudson Dean, Mrs. Frank Rebman, and Mrs. Sarah Coningham.These three women, with others whose names we are unable to learn, allserved unceasingly until their church was functioning in accordance withtheir ambitions.
This church was destroyedby fire on the first Sunday in October, 1935, and 13 months later, on November15, 1936, a rebuilt house of worship, the present church edifice in Frederick,was dedicated, the sermon being preached by Rev. W. W. Vose, a belovedformer pastor, who served there as church pastor during the period of WorldWar I.
The church does not havea resident pastor at this time, but Sunday school is held regularly, witha good attendance of the Frederick folks.
Ray
The organization of a Christianchurch denomination in the village of Ray followed a series of tabernaclemeetings held there by Rev. D. E. Hughes, pastor of the First Christianchurch in Rushville, in the fall of 1895. Unusual interest was shown inthe meeting conducted by Rev. Hughes, and scores of persons from the surroundingcommunity were converted and administered the rites of baptism as a resultof the meetings.
Following the close of themeetings a Sunday school was organized, and regular sessions were heldin the village school building until the erection of the new Christianchurch was completed in the year 1896, and the dedicatory sermon was preachedby Rev. D. E. Hughes.
The church, under the guidinghands of a group of interested men and women, thrived, and the attendanceat Sunday school grew by leaps and bounds, the classes being composed ofolder residents as well as the children of the community.
A number of noted ministersserved the pastorate, among them being Rev. George C. Ross, Rev. H. C.Littleton, and Rev. Fred Wilson.
After the church had beenfunctioning nicely for several years, it was struck by lightning and burned,to the regret of the entire community. Later a church was erected on theold church site, and regular services held there for a time, or until theremoval of many families from the community, when the congregation diminishedto such extent that the church was abandoned and was afterward wreckedand sold for a residence.
The Rushville Times,October 7, 1948
The Rushville Timesby permission.Copyright 1999, 2000 RobinL. W. Petersen; all rights reserved. For personal use only. Commercialuse of the information contained in these pages is strictly prohibitedwithout prior permission. If copied, this copyright must appear with theinformation.