CHAPTER XLV
New Southern and Central Associations
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Franklin county is in the heart of the Baptist center of southern Il1inois. It has Baptist churches enough to put two in each of.its twelve townships, and have its county seat churches left over. The oldest church in the vicinity is Ten Mile Creek, just over the county hne in Hamilton county, organized in 1820, chiefly of members dismissed for that purpose from Bankston's Fork church. The oldest church in Franklin county is Mount Pleasant, in Browning township, which dates from 1829. The Browning family were constituent members. Elder John Browning was the first one baptized in the waters of the Big Muddy river. He came from Tennessee to Illinois in 1804, was ordained in 1831, and preached faithfully until his death in 1857. He was a man of some means, and was liberal in its use in aiding the needy. Both of these churches belonged to the Bethel Association, but refused to go with the antimission majority when the churches were interrogated by the Association in 1839. The next oldest church in the county is Pleasant Grove, Franklin township, organized in 1840 under the preaching of the Ferrells. In the same year Concord church was organized, now represented by Ewing. In 1841 appeared Benton and Liberty churches. Davis Prairie church in Williamson county is another monument of the split of 1839, originating with the missionary minority of a divided church.
Those seven churches on October 16, 1841, organized as "Union United Baptist Association," changed in 1843 to Franklin Association. It was missionary from the start, and in fellowship with Saline Association Friends to Humanity. Hosea Vise and T. M. Vance were prominent pastors of the new Association. Elder Vise was from South Carolina. He came to Hamilton county in 1836, was ordained by Ten Mile Creek church in 1841 and was its pastor for 33 years. He was moderator of Franklin Association 37 times. He was a farmer, merchant, carpenter, notary public, postmaster, pension agent, school commissioner yet preached regularly, and during forty seven years he :missed but two appointments. He died in 1897.
T. M. Vance was from Kentucky, and came to Illinois in 1840. He became pastor or the Benton church and served them 19 years, their
[p. 152]
first pastor and his first pastorate. While in his prime he preached on an average four times a week, and flourished on it. He died in 1884.
The Vandalia Association was organized at Union church, Carrrigan township, in Marion county, in 1841. This was a country church, and after a useful life of nearly sixty years was dissolved in 1897. The Vandalia church was much shorter lived. After a few years it ceased to report, but continued to have a nominal existence for a long time. The present Vandalia church was organized in 1894. ln 1881 the Centralia and Mount Vernon Churches entered the Association, and the name was changed to Centralia. Elder Jesse R. Ford was moderator of the old Vandalia Association some twenty times in thirty years, and was pastor of Beaver Creek church, Clinton county, 33 years. He came from Kentucky to Illinois in 1832, and was a volunteer in the Black Hawk War. He died in 1884.
In 1845 the old Vandalia Association resolved to secure a circulating associational library of devotional works, but the plan did not fully materialize. It was a good idea, especially in a time when young people were growing up and household libraries were exceedingly small. But there were hindrances. One was the scarcity of money. A greater was a lack of appreciation, on the part of many. Having little knowledge themselves they saw no necessity for their children having more.
The Salem Association in 1840 divided, the south half organizing as the Western Association. The churches so doing were Quincy, Payson, Union, Mount Sterling, and Rushville. Immediately adjoining them on the south was the Blue River Association with twelve churches. In 1842 the Blue River Association, meeting at Griggsville, appointed a committee to visit the Western in their meeting at Rushville, and propose a union. The proposal was accepted, and then and there the two bodies became one under the name of Union Association. However, at the first meeting of the new body, in Quincy, 1843, the name was changed to Quincy Association; and so it has remained to the apparent satisfactipn of all.
The same year on the same ground an antimission Association of twelve churches was organized, and called Mount Gilead. Most of the churches were from the Spoon River Association, occupying the same ground as the Salem. The pastors were men who supposed they were magnifying the grace of God by contending that God did everything, leaving nothing to human agency. Mount Gilead Association has less than half the number of churches it began with. The others, as
[p. 153]
churches, have perished. The gates of death have prevailed. There should be something learned in this experience. In our Baptist history there are probably more deceased churches than living churches, but why? And why is Mount Gilead Association going into the shadows?
Nine Mile Association was organized with seven churches at Nine Mile meeting house two miles from DuQuoin, in 1845. The churches were from Clear Creek and Saline Associations, and resulted in the dissolution of the latter, for six of the remaining eight churches voted to give up their organization and unite with the Franklin Association. Thus though the time came when the phrase, "Friends to Humanity" was no longer used, its spirit passed into the surrounding churches, and has come down even to us. The two unassociated churches so remained, under the leading of Eld. James Keele, until 1845 when they aided in constituting the Salem (South) Association. The Nine Mile Association as soon as it was organized engaged Peter Hagle as their associational missionary, at ten dollars a month; and a month's work by Peter Hagler was ten dollars well invested. He continued to be their pastor and evangelist as long as he lived.
In 1845 also the Shelby Association of Separate Baptists was organized for Shelby county and vicinity. This and the Central Illinois Association are both Separate Baptists, carrying one back in thought to the days of the North Carolina pentecost.
For three years, 1843-5, John M. Peck was corresponding secretary and practical manager of the Publication Society. The Society was in great financial straits, and Mr. Peck was regarded as the only man who could bring deliverance. Two years before he had been elected General Agent of a Western Publication Society, with headquarters at Louisville, and accepted the office to prevent a full rupture between the west and the east. Many brethren desired an independent western society, but his travels in the cause convinced him that such a society would not succeed, and that the wise course was to have one society for all sections. To carry this out he was elected in February, 1843, to the management of the eastern society. One of the conditions of his acceptance was that all salaries, beginning with his own, should be cut twenty per cent. This did not mean that the salaries were too high, but that those who were about to ask sacrifices of others should set the example themselves. The principle is a true one. It should be the positive policy of every benevolent society, and in so far as it is not public sympathy will not be given.
[p. 154]
The principles that governed John M. Peck's business administration of the Publication Society were: First, prayer and dependence on God. He had a lodging prepared for him in the Depository building, not only for economy but that he might have his uninterrupted hour for his morning devotions. Second: Broadness of plan, energy in collecting, economy in administration, clearness and minuteness of financial reports. By these he conquered. He was able after three years to leave the Society fairly on its feet. Its working capital had been increased $9000, and the public confidence secured and business principles introduced were worth much more. We may say that the real history of the American Baptist Publication Society began with the administration of John M. Peck. In the spring of 1845 he returned to his Illinois home and took up again his former labor. ================== [Edward P. Brand, Illinois Baptists -- A History, 1930, pp. 151-154. -- jrd]
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