CHAPTER V HISTORY OF CHURCHES. McDonald Co., MO]

INTRODUCTORY. In the following
historical sketches, we are pleased to present to our readers almost a
complete list of the churches of Shoal Creek Association, and we are
under obligation to the clerks and also several of the brethren for
their aid in securing these facts.  However, the history of several of
them is incomplete, and far from being satisfactory.  In searching for
this history, I find several churches whose early records are entirely
destroyed; and some were so badly kept that it has been a great task to
get at reliable information.  had it not been for some of the very old
brethren of these churches, many of the things herein written would
never have been preserved, and much of interest to us would have been
forever lost.  With their publication in this book, they will be
preserved for many generations.  In many of the old minutes of the
association we find the names of many churches whose history is not
here given, but the reader must bear in mind that many of these
churches are not in the Barry County Association; others have disbanded
and sometimes reorganized under a different name, although occupying
the same territory; it is so with Erie, the Goodman church taking her
place; so with Saratoga, Elk River succeeding her, and finally both
seem to be extinct;  Liberty takes the place of the old Pool’s Prairie
church; Pleasant Hill comes in the place of Indian Springs; Coy and
Tiff City and some others have passed out of existence, the records are
gone and but little can be learned of the early planting of the
churches in these communities; but perhaps to mention their names will
awaken many thoughts in the minds of some, and to think may be to act,
which may possibly lead to a revival of the work in these communities.

BEAVER SPRINGS BAPTIST CHURCH About the year 1847, Henry Miller, a
Baptist, with his family, moved from North Carolina and settled on Elk
River, about three miles north of the present village of Saratoga.
Brother Miller, being an active Christian, went to work to secure a
church organization, and in 1848 the organization was effected in
Brother Miller’s dwelling house.  The church consisted of nine members
whose names are: Henry Miller, Nancy Mathews, Andrew Mathews, J.R.
Davis, Nancy Davis, Isaac LaMance, Susan LaMance, Ben Mathews and M.U.
Howard.  The ministers assisting in this organization were Elders
Abraham May, who then lived on Lost Creek in Newton county; Wm.
Toliver, who lived near Rock Comfort, perhaps in the edge of Barry
county, and T.J. Holman, who then lived on Lost Creek, Newton county.
He became the first minister and Brother M.U. Howard the first clerk.
This church attached herself to the Spring River Association. The
church continued to meet in Brother Miller’s house till 1851, and as
the country was now becoming more extensively settled, quite a number
having settled on Beaver branch, the meeting time was divided and they
would meet at Brother Miller’s on Elk River one month, and the next
month on Beaver branch.  About this time Hezekiah Dobbs and wife moved
from Tennessee to Missouri and joined the church by letter, and soon
after, Brother Dobbs was ordained to the work of the gospel ministry
and became the pastor of the church, being the only minister living in
McDonald county.  In 1854, the church became permanently located at
Beaver Springs.  In the same year Sister Julia Tatum, wife of James
Tatum, brought her letter with her from North Carolina and joined the
church in April. The first meeting house is worthy of note.  It was
built of round logs sixteen feet long, and covered with clapboards four
feet long.  It had a puncheon floor and one door, no window, a
fireplace at one end with a wooden chimney.  here some great meetings
were held, many begin converted, among them being Brother James Tatum
in the year 1855, who joined the church in April, 1856.  He soon
afterwards was ordained as deacon, which office he now fills, being 83
years of age.  In 1858 the name of the church was changed from Elk
River to the present name, Beaver Springs.  Also in July, 1858, James
Tatum and James Dunnegan were ordained deacons and C.W. Chapman was
ordained to the ministry;  he then became the second minister living in
McDonald county, and later on became pastor of the church. The county
was now becoming settled along creeks and valleys, and in many places
revivals were held and many converted, but there was but one church, so
the church passed an act that one ordained minister and two of the
brethren could sit in church session and receive members into the
church.  The church increased in members and the congregations enlarged
so that another house was a necessity, and in the year 1857 a house was
built of hewed logs twenty-four feet long.  A novel way of heating the
house was resorted to.  A large box, partly filled with dirt, was
placed in the center, and on this dirt was laid charcoal which was
burned as needed. During those days, ministers were scarce and they
would travel long distances to preach, and that without pay.  The
church was visited and sermons preached by such ministers as May,
Hollman, Givens, and Phil Anderson, a colored slave who afterward
became the property of Elder Wm. Farmer, father of Dr. J.C. Farmer of
Pineville,  Elder Farmer gave Phil great liberty to preach and the last
known of him he was at Neosho preaching the gospel to the colored
people.  In the year 1858, William Chapman, who is now an able minister
living in Texas, was ordained to the ministry.  He is a son of Elder
C.W. Chapman, whose wife, familiarly called grandma, is still living,
though quite feeble.  In the ministry; he also became pastor of the
year 1872, M.G. Elliff was ordained to the church in later years.
Several have been licensed to preach by this church, who were
afterwards ordained by other churches,
as follows:  T. Box, who moved to Arkansas; Howard, who went to
California; Moses Martin; John Fleming, who was ordained by the Pool’s
Prairie church and finally went to Texas where he soon died; A.C.
Elliff, who was ordained in Texas, and held some good positions as
pastor.  he came back to Missouri, but has since not preached much,
devoting his time almost entirely to school work.  We note with
pleasure that this church has ever been ready to help every good work,
so about 1860 a Sunday school was organized, consisting of two classes
of girls and one of boys.  They studied the Bible,
having no other literature.  This school was not continuous. The church
has had many pastors, some of whom are Elders Dobbs, Walker Medlin,
Hickston, Mosier, Stites, C.W. Chapman, Wm. Chapman, J.W. West, S.H.
Hardy, M.G. Elliff and T.L. Largen. Some of the clerks are M.U. Howard,
B. Ballard, N.V. Reece, R.W. Patterson, Dr. Bergin, J.W. Dobbs and Bert
Chapman. The church having increased in members, the third house became
a necessity.  This time a neat frame house, 26x36 feet, was built and
was thought to be large enough for all time.  But, alas for the wisdom
of men!  The railroad penetrated the country, and with it came people;
towns sprang up and with these the town of Anderson, and as the town
grew, and as the country became more thickly settled, this house became
too small; and in the year 1899 the house was enlarged to the present
beautiful and commodious structure, being well seated and lighted and
can seat nearly 400 persons. One thing worthy of note about the
building of this addition is that it was built by raising money by
subscription, and on the amount of nearly three hundred dollars used in
this building, every dollar, yes every cent, that was pledged was paid.
The church now has twice-a-month preaching and a most excellent Sunday
school with an enrollment of about 135, presided over by Sam Eppard,
the worthy superintendent, with Bert Chapman as assistant, surrounded
by an able corps of teachers as follows: Jesse Elliff, primary teacher
for the boys; Mrs. Crespaugh, primary teacher for the girls; Fred Moss
for the young mean, and he has the best young men’s class I ever saw;
Mrs. Laura Bowan, Mrs. Rettie Tatum, Mrs. Frankie Smith and Mrs. R.W.
Petterson each having a class of girls-and noble classes they are. We
have now given a brief history of this church, beginning with nine
members in 1848, and ending in the year 1900 with a membership of 150.
Great has been the work in the past; may the future be more fruitful,
is the prayer of her present pastor. As I leave Beaver Springs, the
following is a synopsis of the work of six years, as given by one of
our papers: “Elder T.L. Largen closed a six years’ pastorate with the
Beaver Springs church (Anderson, Mo.) Sunday, March 23, 1902.  During
the six years, he preached 425 regular sermons and made many Sunday
school and revival meeting talks;  he labored 100 days in revival
meetings with 100 professions, and there were 100 additions to the
church and eighty baptisms.  The church has expended for pastor’s
salary, $900; paid for help in revival work, $175; for District
Missions, $160; enlarging the church house, $400; organ, $50; sexton
and incidentals, $125; Sunday school literature, $150; other missions,
$30; in all about $2,000, or an average of about $330 a year.  The
church is entirely out of debt, having already paid in full their
District Mission pledge for this year, and the pastor’s salary for next
year has been subscribed.  Elder J.W. Keltner, the next pastor, will
enter the field with all things smooth, no trouble in the church, a
good Sunday school and a good prayer meeting.  At the close of the
services last Sunday night the church presented Elder Largen a nice
parlor lamp as a further token of their love and appreciation of his
work among them.” In 1901, Elder J.W. Keltner of Webb City as pastor,
then in 1902, Elder T.L. Largen again, then C.S. Brown of Seneca, and
following him, Elder .F. McCombs, then Charles Branson, and at present
F.G. Rogers.  The church has moved up to three-fourth-time preaching.
The church now pays a salary of $520; the State Board helps them $150;
the pastor lives on the field.  The past few years the clerks have
been, Mr. Geo. Tatum and Henry C. Roark.  The present deacons are, John
Chapman, Monroe, Elliot, Luther Higgs, Ed Roark, George Tatum, William
Parnell.  Two ministers hold membership in the church, Bert Chapman and
F.G. Rogers, and the church has licensed two to preach, vis., Bert
Chapman and George Moss.  The church has a membership of 230 and an
average
attendance in the Sunday school of about 100.  Some of the recent
superintendents have been Geo. Moss, Will Parnell, Fred Moss.  We are
glad to see the prosperity of this strong church, and we trust her
influence will inspire others to follow her example.

BETHPAGE This is one of the oldest churches in the association, located
in north-central part of McDonald county, some eight or nine miles
southwest of Stella, Mo.; organized in 1850; the first meeting house
was built of logs, and as the country (fifty-seven years ago) was
thinly settled and the people lived at a great distance to go back and
forth to every service, as people do now, they built log cabins on the
ground hear the meeting house, and there they would camp, and during a
revival meeting would often stay most of the time for two or three
weeks. The records do not show who was the first to organize this
church, but one among the first members was Brother George Brock, who
was born in Granger county, Tenn., Dec. 3, 1825, and came to McDonald
county in 1850, and settled on a farm one mile east of Bethpage church.
He was converted about the time he settled here, and soon he united
with the church and remained a member till the members were all
scattered during the Civil War.  After the lapse of years, when the
church was reorganized, he was one of the constituents and remained a
devoted member till death, Feb. 13, 1907.  He lived in this community,
on the same farm, with the same church; for about fifty-seven years-a
wonderful record.  Who can estimate his worth to this community? While
this association yet belonged to Spring River Association, the meeting
of the Spring River Association was held with Bethpage church, in 1860.
During the war, the log meeting house and most of the “Camp Cabins”
were burnt, and after peace was declared, all meetings that were held
were in brush arbors, or in the shady groves, or in school houses, or
some dwelling house, for a number of years. In 1887 Elder W.J. Lett
came into this community and held a revival meeting, assisted by Elder
George Mosier.  These meetings, with other services which followed, led
to the organization of the church as it exists today, on June 16, 1889,
by Elder G.W. Lett, who became the first pastor, and Isaac Long was the
first clerk.  Elder G.W. Lett has been pastor at three different times,
during which he has served four years and one month; George Mosier, one
year; D.C. Maness, five years; E. Skaggs, one year; S.H. Hardy, seven
months, who was pastor of this church at the time of his death and
preached at Bethpage on Saturday and Sunday and went home and died on
the following Friday.  The clerk writes of him that “he was old and
feeble, but untiring his work.”  Brother Lett seems to have filled out
Brother Hardy’s year, and then, for some cause, the church was without
a pastor for one year and eight months.  Then W.P. Wardell served for
two years, and Lewis Creason has been with them for the past two years.
This church has had one experience that perhaps no other church in the
association has had, and none desires, because of its sorrow and
sadness. It was Sunday night, march 13, 1908, at the close of a sermon
by Elder W.G. Lett, that one Mr. George Smith was shot and killed, John
Arnold shooting through the window from outside of the building. They
own their present meeting house, a frame building, 30x40 feet, which
was built under the pastorate of W.G. Lett, in 1889.  It stands on the
same spot where the old log building stood before the war.  It is
valued at $500, and will seat 300 people.  They have had as clerks,
A.M. Dyer, B. F. Mosier, Sister L.A. Maness, J.G. Strickland, W.S. Fly,
T.W.J. Brock and Mrs. Mamie Mosier.  The present membership of the
church is forty-six.  They have one minister in the church, Elder W.G.
Lett, and have ordained one, Elder H.L. Skaggs.  The deacons of the
church has been, Isaac Daugherty, G.P. Burgin, Dr. W.G. Maness, W.H.
Skaggs, L. Garren, G.W. Callings.  They now have no Sunday school,
although in the past they have had a very good school and have had some
efficient superintendents, vis., Mrs. Florence Fly (nee Brock), W.S.
Fly, T.W.J. Brock, W.H. Kay, L. Garren. The land around the church is
very rough but produces very well, and the community is in need of
a strong religious influence, and the church ought to have a live
Sunday school and regular services that all may hear the word and
believe and be saved. Before closing this sketch, we must speak of
Elder George Mosier, who, at the time of his death, was a member of
this church.  The clerk of the church, T.W.J. Brock, writes of him
thus:  “He assisted in the revival meeting that led up to the
reorganization of the church and was an earnest and faithful worker.
The influence of his life and work will long be felt and remembered in
the church and community.”


BELFAST This church is located about six miles west of Neosho, near the
Belfast Station, on the Frisco railroad, and from this station it takes
its name.  This church is not very old, being organized May 29, 1887,
by Elder Henry Stites and J.T. Winchester, Elder Stites becoming the
first pastor.  The first clerk was Robert Wade.  The other clerks have
been, A.F. Wellert, J.W. Jent, B.H. Meadow.  The J.W. Jent here spoken
of as clerk was than but a mere boy, but he is now a strong preacher in
Texas.  The other pastors of the church are, T. Jent, James Taylor, A.
Carlin, S.H. Hardy, W.J. Laster, J.W. Jent, E. Skaggs, J.H. Jetmore.
Elder T. Jent and S.H. Hardy, both have been twice pastor of this
church. The deacons have been A.F. Wilbert, Thomas Liles, W.P.
Caruthers, B.H. meadors, Charles Jent. Tehre are no ministers who have
membership with this church, and the church has never licensed or
ordained any one to the gospel ministry. They own their meeting house,
which is a neat frame building 28x36 feet, and valued at $500, with a
seating capacity of 200, which was built under the pastorate of Elder
S.H. hardy, in 1893.  Their present membership is only twenty-five, but
they have quite a good Sunday school with an average attendance of
thirty.  They seem to have had only two superintendents, T.J. Ashworth
and B.H. Meador,  This church is surrounded by strong opposition, the
Campbellite, or so-called Christian organiztion.  This order has the
balance of power in the community, perhaps having three or four times
the number of Baptists. It was at this church and with a representative
of the Campbellites that Elder J.M. Bandy once had a debate of serveral
days, but instead of anhillating or destroying their influence, it
seemed only to make them more determined to hinder and overcome the
Baptists, hence the church has had a hard struggle for existence.

BRUSH CREEK
        This church is located in the south part of McDonald county, a
few miles southeast of Pineville. It was organized in 1903 by Elders
Whitwell and Hays, and G.W. Hays became the first pastor and was
succeeded by J.J. Whitwell.  The first clerk was John Lipe.  The
deacons are, Moore, Johnson, Taylor, Pierce, Reuben Wintis.  They have
no meeting house but hold services in the school house. Their
membership is ten.  They have a very good Sunday school, with an
attendance of forty-two and Pierce Johnson as superintendent.  This is
another needy church and will require much work and a great sacrifice
to make it a prosperous church.

BIG SPRINGS
        Just on the south border of Oliver Prairie, about nine miles
southeast of Newtonia, there is a large, beautiful spring which is
really the head of one branch of Indian Creek.  The spring, in the
early days of Missouri, was called the Big Spring, and as the church is
situated near this spring, it was named Big Springs.  Thirty-four years
ago, when the country was new, this church was organized, in 1873, by
Elder A.V. Greer, who became the first pastor, and the succeeding
pastors have been, H.C. Howard, Joseph Walker, T.L. Largen, B.F.
McCombs, S.H. Hardy, J.A. Swiger, J.M. Anderson, N.M. Whittington.
Brother Whittington has been the pastor for the past five years.  The
clerks are, Frank Cellars, M.G. Gentry, D.T. Harris, John Oliver, J.W.
White and S.H. White.  For sixteen years Brother White has been the
faithful clerk.  They haev had but few deacons, J.S. White, Sam
Bridges, J.C. Robertson, H.S. Francis.  They own their meeting house, a
neat frame building 30x40 feet, valued at $600.  it was built under the
pastorate of Elder A.V. Greer in 1885, and will seat about 250.  The
church has ordained two to the ministry, Elder J.S. Herod and John
Oliver.  The present membership is sixty-one.  They have a very good
Sunday school, with an average attendance of forty.  The
superintendents have been J.S. Herod, Walter Greer, S.H. White, John
Oliver.  Although this church is located in a good community, it seems
to have a hard struggle to succeed; it seems to make but little
progress.  Where the trouble is, it is hard to tell, unless there is a
lack of consecration upon the part of the membrs.  May it, in coming
years, be more properous.

CALVARY
        This is a small, young church of only twenty-eight members,
situated towards the northwest corner of McDonald county, amid the
famous hills of Buffalo.  They have no meeting house of their own, but
hold their services in the public school building.  The church was
organized by Elder B.F. McCombs, while he was missionary of Shoal Creek
Association.  on Aug. 17, 1902, Elder Ramsey became their first pastor,
and since, the following have served:  G.W. Hays, Wardell and J.A.
Denney. They have had only two clerks, J.J. Lafan, J.W. Nutting; and
have three deacons, David Moody, J.J. Laffan, Henry Brotherton.
Considering their small membership, they have an excellent Sunday
school with an average attendance of forty.  Their superintendents have
been as follows:  J.A. Denney, Mrs. Ida Lowe and R.H. Lowe, J.J. Lafan,
Nutting, Ren Bowman.  Two ministers are members of this church, Henry
Stites and J.A. Denney.  They have ordained one to the ministry, Elder
J.A. Denney. This is a wonderful, yet a very difficult, field.  There
are lots of people among the hills of this country, but they are hard
to reach.  The country being rough, and roads bad, the people are given
an excuse for not attending meetings.  This church as well as some
others of this association, needs much encouragement and will need some
financial help, if she accomplishes what ought to be done; but we trust
she will stand loyal and be aggressive until the everlasting hill may
echo and re-echo the sounding of the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ;
until every man, woman and child shall hear thereof.

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