UNITED STATES COURTS IN MISSOURI.-Circuit Court, Western District.-Judges: Samuel F. Miller, John F. Dillon and Arnold Krekel. Meets on third Mondays in April and November, at Jefferson City.

District Court, Western District.—Judge, Arnold Krekel. Court meets on first Mondays in March and September, at Jefferson City, and third Mondays in May and October, in Kansas City.

CHAPTER VIII.-RELIGIOUS HISTORY.

"Religion is the chief concern

Of mortals here below;

May we its great importance learn,

Its sovereign virtue know.

The Baptists of Pettis County-Historical Sketches of the Presbyterian Church in Pettis County-The M E. Church South-The Christian Church or Church of Christ-The Cumberland Presbysterian Church.

THE BAPTISTS OF PETTIS COUNTY.

In the organization and government of their churches, the Baptists differ somewhat from all other religious denominations, and quite materially from most of them. Each church being a purely voluntary association organized upon what is believed to be a scriptural basis, for the mutual benefit of its membership, and for the prosecution of the work of evangelization, the government is congregational, all the members enjoying equal rights and privileges, and no human authority is recognized as superior to that of the local church.

The officers recognized, as of divine appointment, are pastors and deacons. These, while expected to exercise the functions of their respective offices, are in common with all the other members, subject to the authority of the church.

To secure united and harmonious action in mission work, and to promote the general interests of the cause, associations of the church are formed; but no legislative, or judicial powers are assumed by such organizations; and only as advisory bodies can they take cognizance of any of the officers of the individual church. Thus is each church a republic by itself, subject only to the supreme authority of Christ, its recognized Head and Lawgiver.

This independence of the churches, and absence of any centralized power might seem to be an impediment to concerted action, and aggressive work; but the history of the denomination shows it possessed of so much esprit de corps, that greater coherence and harmony is manifest than in other bodies with a more mechanical organization; and, perhaps, no religious denomination is so little affected by political, or social muta

tions, or so readily recovers from the effect of disturbing elements of what

ever nature.

The devotion of Baptists to the doctrines and practices of the denomination, and the conviction that these doctrines and practices are sustained and required by the scriptures, not only secures "unity of spirit" among the membership, but stimulates and sustains that characteristic zeal for their propogation, which has always kept the denomination in the front rank of the pioneers in missionary enterprise.

True to their history elsewhere, the Baptists were among the first to enter the State of Missouri-then a part of the territory of Louisiana. In fact, excepting the Catholics, the first sermon preached west of the Mississippi river was preached by a Baptist, and the first church organized was a Baptist church.

From "Duncan's History of the Baptists of Missouri," we make the following extracts:

The first permanent Baptist church organization in Missouri was the Bethel, in 1806, in Cape Girardeau county, in 1807. The first association was called Bethel, formed in 1816, in southeast Missouri; the second was the Missouri, now called St. Louis, in 1817, and the third, the Mt Pleasant, in 1818.

John Clark, a Baptist in sentiment, was the first, other than Catholic, to preach west of the great river. He came over to St. Louis county in 1798. Thomas Johnson, a preacher of Georgia, came and preached in 1799; neither of them settled then. Thomas P. Musick was the first resident Baptist minister in Missouri, in 1804.

These small beginnings here, in 1881 grew into 1,445 churches, 920 ministers, and 89,915 members, and give about $30,000 a year to the support of missions. They, also, have eleven educational institutions in the state-one for young men, three for young ladies, and seven for both sexes.

The first Baptist church, and as far as could be ascertained by the writer, the first church of any denomination organized in Pettis county, was the Muddy Fork church, situated three or four miles northeast of Georgetown. It was organized by Elders Jacob Chim and William Jennings, and among the constituent members were: James Anderson, John O'Bannon, Solomon Reed, Thomas Wasson, and Adam Scott; the date of its constitution could not be ascertained definitely, but was certainly prior to the year 1834.

In the year 1837 or 1838 the Walnut Branch church was organized, about ten miles west of Sedalia, with twelve or fourteen members; its first pastor being Rev. Martelles Embree.

These churches belonged to what is known as the "Old School" or "AntiMission" Baptists, a division of the denomination that separated from the main body about about the years 1827 and 1828. In doctrine they are distinguished from the missionary Baptists by what the latter esteem ultra views of a limited atonement, and of unconditional election, and reproba

tion. In theory and practice, they are opposed to all missionary enterprises, to Sabbath schools, to an educated ministry, and to stipulated salaries. While they do not advocate intemperence they claim the same right to manufacture, sell and use ardent spirits that is accorded to any other enterprise; and so far as the use is concerned, they "show their faith by their works."

Only one church of this order, the Walnut Branch, now exists in the county. The principal preachers in the county have been: Jacob Chism, Wm. Jennings, - Wolfe, Martelles Embree, and James Teague. The first Missionary Baptist church, established in the county, was the Providence church, situated about three miles southwest of Clifton, organized April 4, 1842, by Elders A. P. Williams, and J. G. Berkley; the second was Flat Creek, five miles south of Smithton, organized September 23, 1846, by Elders J. G. Berkley, and Elias George; the next in order of date, was Bethlehem, seven miles south of Sedalia, June 7, 1851, by Elder G. W. Sands, and Deacon J. E. Crawford. Following this was South Fork, in Blackwater township, September, 1855, by Elder G. W. Sands. At intervals of varying length others have been established, until there are now in the county seventeen Missionary Baptist churches, with twelve resident ministers.

The pioneer preachers of the county were, generally, men of sterling worth, and untiring energy. Some of them were men of considerable culture, and "mighty in the scriptures." As a class they seem to have been eminently adapted to the then existing conditions of society. Among the early settlers were men of strong common sense, and the very condition of things made them intensely practical in thought and in action.

To influence such minds, and to mold character under such circumstances, men were needed, who from the pulpit, and in their associations with the people, would preach a practical gospel. A people having to do with the stern realities of frontier life had little time or disposition to interest themselves in the metaphysical speculations of the schools; but instinctively yearned for a religion that impressed them with a sense of its reality, and that would with its well defined doctrines, and infallible promises, guide and comfort them in the actualities of this life, while assuring them of a more perfect life in the world to come.

Among those prominent in pioneer work, may be mentioned, Jesse G. Berkley, Thornton Rucker, George W. Sands, Elias George, and W. P. C. Caldwell. Later, came Isaiah Spurgin, Wm. Ferguson, Jonathan Gott, E. H. Burchfield, and B. T. Thomas. Of the former, all have passed away, except Elias George. He was a native of Wales, and came to Missouri from Ohio, where he had long been engaged in successful labor, as an earnest preacher of the gospel. Coming to Missouri he settled in Mor

gan county, was pastor of several churches in that county, and labored extensively and with success in Cooper and Pettis.

He was a man of good native talent, and a very vigorous speaker—of a very sanguine temperament, he was very enthusiastic in his devotion to what he believed to be the right, and as impatient in disappointment. In the agitation that preceded and led to the civil war, his decided convictions on the questions at issue caused him to encounter such opposition as led him to feel that he could be more useful where the people were more generally in sympathy with his views, and he returned to Ohio. After the war he came again to this state, settling in north Missouri, and is still, at a very advanced age, preaching the gospel he has loved so long.

J. G. Berkley and Thornton Rucker, neither of them residents of the county, were missionaries of the Blue River Association, and did effective service in gathering together the scattering Baptists of the several communities, and sowing the seeds of future harvests.

W. P. C. Caldwell lived in Johnson county, but labored extensively in Pettis. He was, perhaps, the ablest of the contemporary preachers. A man of fine personal presence, of liberal culture for the times, with a strong voice, and great force of character, while perhaps unduly disposed to be dogmatic, his influence was potent, not only in the conversion of men to a practical belief in the gospel, but in building up and indoctrinating the churches. As fellow-laborers, he and Elder George were for several years intimately associated; and in their personal peculiarities there appeared to be that happy conjunction of characteristics which made them, as "fellow helpers to the truth," very effective workers in their joint services. Both were men of strong convictions, and while happily they had come to occupy separate fields of labor before the crisis came in our civil strife that rent and distracted communities and even churches, these two yoke-fellows were very far removed from each other in sentiment. While Elder George espoused the cause of the Union with all the ardor of his impulsive Welsh nature, Elder Caldwell gave himself, soul and body, to the Confederacy.

It can but be a matter of profound satisfaction to the personal friends of both parties, and to all lovers of the cause they both had served so faithfully, that the intimate association of these two stalwarts had been interrupted by circumstances before the unhappy point of difference was reached, and that, having lived and labored together in the strongest bonds of personal and christian fellowship, they were not fated to meet, when, under the intense excitement of the times, the political sentiments so tenaciously grasped by their strong natures could but have interposed a fatal barrier to their former cordial relations.

It

may be as well to state here, that in relation to the causes and conduct

of the war, the Baptists of the county, and of the state, in common with other denominations, were radically divided; and while, in the state, the preponderance of sentiment was in sympathy with the south, in the county the Union feeling was very strong, if not in the ascendency. And not only was there this opposition in feeling, but members of the same denomination, and sometimes of the same church, as soldiers in the opposing armies, were arrayed in deadly conflict; but with the close of the war came a disposition to reassert the principles of the "gospel of peace,” and to restore previously existing fraternal relations.

It is, perhaps, true, that in no denomination was the division more clearly marked, or the advocacy of the cause more determined, than in the ranks of the Baptists; and certainly in no other has the return to peaceable relations been more rapid, or more complete. In the solution of the vexed problem of "reconstruction," as it met the statesmen and philanthropists of our own country, at the close of the war, with its multitudinous applications, and environed with its complicated difficulties, the Baptists of Missouri may be said to have taken the initiative.

While our legislators were wrestling with the problem, and before they had even succeeded in determining the status of the states once in rebellion, while other bodies, civil and religious, were in the confusion of disturbed relations, and vainly seeking a readjustment of rights and privileges, the Baptists of Missouri quietly reconstructed themselves by ignoring all distinctions created by the war, and coming together upon a basis of a common brotherhood-a consummation made comparatively easy by their simple form of church policy-which left no vexed questions of official status, or rights in church property, to be settled; but which, while guaranteeing equal rights to all, recognizes the independence of the churches in the administration of their own affairs; and, calling no man master, relies, at last, upon what is found to be the stronghold of union: The love of Christ constraining to a willing devotion to His cause those who recognize in Him their Only Head and Law Giver.

In the general associations and the district associations of the state, the missionary and educational work of the Baptists is unified; and in nearly, if not quite, every church of the state, are to be found representatives of the opposing sides in the late conflict; but while extremists on both sides may have sought to hinder the reconciliation, and perpetuate the acrimony of the past, with the great body of the Baptists of Missouri there is a very evident desire to "follow after the things that make for peace," and while deploring the fact that political disturbances, leading to alienation and bitterness of feeling, should have furnished the occasion, they, nevertheless, point with commendable pride to that part of their history which gives them position, in the far front, of all reconstructionary organizations, whether civil or religious; and exhibits the power of the religion