The Edwardsville Baptist church was organized by brethren Peck and Darrow in 1828, the Rock Spring church was reorganized in 1829, and the Upper Alton church was organized in 1830. With these three churches for a basis operations for the unification of Illinois Baptists on missionary lines were begun by Mr. Peck. A meeting of all favorably inclined to a general union was called at Edwardsville, October 16, 1830. The meeting was a large one; some twenty-five ministers being present, besides other brethren. The following subjects were considered by being referred to committees and the reports discussed:

The Baptist Situation in Illinois.

Itinerant Preaching.

The Terms of Baptist fellowship.

The Controversy of the illinois Association with the Edwardsville and Rock Spring churches.

A General Address to the Baptists of Illinois.

The meeting adjourned to meet again at the same place June 20, 1831. It was the real beginning of our General Association and State Convention, and in large measure of our Home Mission Society. The three churches calling the meeting organized themselves into the Edwardsville Association; not especially for fellowship, as had been the rule hitherto, but for missionary purposes. It was an entire change in Associational purpose, and ushered in the Era of Organization.

Four months after Mr. Peck first set his foot on Illinois soil he presented his plan for the "United Society for the Spread of the Gospel" to the Illinois Association, and received their endorsement. Its object was missionary and .educational; the itinerant preaching of the gospel, and the training of preachers and teachers. To help raise funds for the work of the society he organized local mite societies, the first one being in connection with the Ogle's Creek church, March 21, 1819.

In 1823 he commenced organizing local Bible societies. The Greene county society was organized December 24, at Carrollton, and the Madison and Morgan county Bible societies appeared soon after.

In 1824 he began organizing county Sunday school societies. The entire spring of that year was spent in such work in southern and central

---

[p. 102]
Illinois. A little before this, at Vandalia, he organized a State Sunday School Society, and secured for it the funds of the defunct State Agricultural Society, amounting to about $200. He was appointed the agent of the American Colonization Society, also, for transporting free negroes to Liberia, on the west coast of Africa. This last appointment however he probably did not seek.

Mr. Peck was thus the Apostle of Organization. He believed in cooperation, in machinery. On the other hand James Lemen and his people were fervent rather than methodical. They depended more on divine operation than in human co-operation. They represented life; Peck represented service. They were one in heart, and in general intent, but differed in the place given to the devotional life.

His idea was embodied in the Edwardsville Association, and it has become the dominant idea of the Baptists of the state and of the nation. If anything is to be done we think of organizing a society to do it; whereas if brother Lemen organized a society it would be to bring into fellowship those who were doing the same work as himself. The two ideas are parts of one christianity. If missionary Baptists and humanity Baptists could have come together, each appreciating the other, it would be better than contending for the fittest. But human limitations are narrow. It is easily said that the Edwardsville type of christianity is more useful than the Cantine Creek type. It is as easily replied that life is more than meat; the whole gospel is but God giving himself to humanity. The two Ideas should go forth side by side, the gospel and the propagation of the gospel. One appears in the Keswick meetings, the Northfield meetings, and every effort for the development of the normal christian life; the other appears in our missionary activity and the multiplicity of societies for every purpose. This has won just now in the popular race. Nevertheless the world wants "not yours but you." The truest way to "give to him that asketh thee," is to "weep with them that weep and rejoice with them that rejoice," for that is ever the currency of humanity, and all are able to give freely to all.

The cooperative type of christianity has descended to us by inheritance; let us hold it fast! But divine fellowship and church fellowship are equally our portion. We must belong to brother Lemen's Friends, and to brother Peck's Association. We must take them both by the hand. So shall we approach the pattern provided for us in Christ.

---

[p. 103]

Except for turning the wheels in the committee reports, the new Association was like the others. They rejoiced in christian fellowship, and in preaching from "the stand." They urged on one another the importance of personal and family piety. In nearly all the church homes family worship was observed. They held meetings for social worship every week, and had preaching as often as they could. They were ashamed of the "once a month" preaching, and endeavored to break away from it. George Stacey, one of the first graduates of the Rock Spring Seminary, was pastor at Upper Alton and Edwardsville, preaching for each on alternate weeks. At Rock Spring there was usually preaching every week. In other churches reading or exhortation or scriprure exposition occupied the preacher's place. In this they followed the good example set in the beginning at New Design. To depend wholly on a preacher is as mistaken a practice as to depend wholly on a choir. It is a shadow of rirualism; and we are not ritualists. "O Jehovah of hosts, blessed is the man who trusteth in thee." Psalm 84.
==============

[Edward P. Brand, Illinois Baptists -- A History, 1930, pp. 101-103. -- jrd]

---

Return to Illinois Baptist Index Page
Return to American Baptist Histories
Return to HOME Page