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Early Disciples Pastors in Decatur
Joseph Hostetler
Joseph Hostetler was born in Shelby County, Kentucky,
on February 27, 1797. His parentage and ancestry trace to Pennsylvania
and Germany. His education centered around the common school
he attended three months each year, but he showed a keen interest
in medical lectures. [Evans, 57] The Hostetlers were members
of the German Baptist or Tunker Church which had as a main tenet
the New Testament as the only book of religious discipline. After
a crisis of faith, Joseph devoted himself to reading the Scriptures,
confessed, and was immersed into the "One Body" at
age 19. [Evans, 60] Between 1816 and 1821, Joseph travelled,
farmed, and preached in Indiana. In 1821, he was ordained as
a minister of the Grace of God. At the ceremony his uncle gave
him a Bible and said, "Preach and practice only what you
find in the Holy Book." [Evans, 63]
 In 1832 Joseph Hostetler made his way to
Decatur where he encountered the Methodists and Cumberland Presbyterians
in force. They bitterly denounced his teaching as Campbellism,
Romanism, Infidelity, etc., yet the people believed and were
baptized, and in 1833 he organized what was to be the Church
of Christ in Decatur. He became a farmer and preacher, providing
for the religious needs of the early Christians through sermon
and prayer in the court house while prisoners listened in the
jail above. Not only was Joseph a preacher, but he also was a
practicing physician in Decatur. In 1835 he donated two acres
of land described as a hazel brush patch at the corner of Wood
and Water streets for the construction of a Christian meeting
house. Built of hewn logs, it was 20 feet square, and doubled
as a school many times.
Charter members of this newly organized and housed Christian
Church were: Thomas Cowan and wife, Warren G. Strickland and
wife, Stephen Shepherd and wife, Harry Snider and wife, Joseph
Hostetler and wife, Charlotte Turpin, and Elizabeth Harrell.
First year additions included James and Polly Carter, Sandy and
Elizabeth Harrold, Polly Miller, Rebecca Hanks, Elizabeth Cantrall,
Mrs. Brett, Dr. and Mrs. J.G. Spears, John and Elizabeth Rucker,
and Mrs. Judith Oglesby. This community of Christian believers
and the sermons delivered by Joseph Hostetler exemplified the
reform that had taken place in the Pioneer American Church. From
the Cane Ridge Revival and Barton W. Stone's questioning about
formal creeds and confessions of faith to Thomas and Alexander
Campbell's formation of the Christian Association, Decatur's
first Disciples of Christ Church had planted strong roots.
Joseph Hostetler left Decatur for Indiana in 1836 and continued
to preach and practice medicine finally settling in Lovington,
Illinois, in 1861. He died there in 1870 of a heart condition.
[Smith, 264]
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John Tyler
Before leaving Decatur, Brother Hostetler had the opportunity
to instruct a young Baptist pioneer minister who had joined the
church in 1836. [Odor, 2] The man was John W. Tyler, a direct
descendant of the tenth president of the United States, John
Tyler, and he soon became a leader of the congregation. Tyler
had been a member of the Cane Ridge Church in 1834. Living as
a successful farmer on a farm east of Decatur, he travelled and
helped spread the gospel in the neighboring counties of Shelby,
Christian, Sangamon, Logan, Dewitt, and Piatt. Over a period
of 56 years, a number of churches were established by John Tyler,
most notably the Antioch Christian Church east of Decatur. It
was organized in 1859, and built by Philip Corman on land owned
by Tyler. Tyler conducted the funeral of Joseph Hostetler in
1870, and said, "I am indebted to Brother Hostetler for
my better understanding of the gospel." He gave two sons
to the ministry, B.B. Tyler and J.Z Tyler, both of whom were
members of the Antioch Church. [Haynes]
In 1842 John Tyler and his wife became the parents of a daughter
named Susan Francis. She became a member of the church in 1856,
and married Hugh L. Odor in 1867. As a lawyer, he became associated
with John W. Smith, a notable Decatur lawyer and historian, and
eventually was a partner in the law offices of Odor, Eldridge,
and Hostetler. Sue Odor was a very prominent member of the Christian
Church in Decatur, and like her father, continued in a leadership
role by preparing an early church history, teaching Sunday School,
being a deaconess and vice president of the social helpers. [Directories,
1906,1912] Sue Tyler Odor died on March 3, 1930.
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Itinerant Pioneer Preachers
Following John W. Tyler's leadership of the Christian Church
in Decatur, a number of itinerant and pioneer preachers served
the needs of the congregation. During this period, church membership
outgrew the log building at Water and Wood streets, and, in 1855,
a new brick building was erected at the northeast corner of Main
and North streets. By 1854, the first steam railroad, the Great
Western (Wabash), had arrived in Decatur. It was soon followed
by Central (Illinois Central).
Bushrod Henry, a convert from the Baptists, came to
the Decatur church. Henry was born in Culpepper County, Virginia,
in 1805, coming to Shelby County Illinois, in 1830, by way of
Tennessee. Not only was he a travelling preacher, but he also
spent a considerable amount of time working his 600 acre farm.
In Shelby County Reverend Henry served as a county evangelist,
earning enough the first year to buy a pair of blue jean trousers,
woolen socks, and keeping $1.25. He was the first Disciple of
Christ in the area to participate in Sunday School and he helped
organize the state missionary society at Shelbyville in 1850.
Later, he served as an original trustee of Eureka College.
Other ministers of the Christian congregation in Decatur serving
until the mid-1850's were as follows:
Robert Foster was baptized by Phillip Mulkey in Tennessee.
(Mulkey was one of the great evangelists of the early Christian
movement.) Foster's father was a stern Calvinist. As a result
of his interest in the Christian Church, Robert's father drove
him from his home. In April 1836, he started touring as an evangelist
with Tany Trice. He met Barton W. Stone and conducted a meeting
with him in Lynnville, Illinois. Being a short man, Foster often
preached from a box behind the pulpit so he could see his audience.
In moments of great emotional oration, he would often disappear
from sight of his listeners, thus causing some distraction.
Walter Bowles was born in Kentucky and was known by
the nickname of "Wattie." Standing six feet tall, he
and Foster were quite a pair when appearing together at services
or revivals. As "Wattie" was unable to read, the New
Testament and much of the Old Testament was committed to memory
with the help of his wife. Living in Turnbridge township, southwestof
Clinton, he would work in the fields on Saturday morning until
11 o'clock, then ride 10 to 30 miles to preach Saturday evening
and Sunday in a residence or a schoolhouse. Having an acquaintance
with Abraham Lincoln, the young lawyer once said, "Watt,
if I could preach like you, I would rather do that than be president."
[Haynes, 149]
Walter Bowles' father, Hugh, also preached in the Decatur
church, but spent time travelling greater distances to spread
the faith. He held many meetings at the Lake Fork Church on Salt
Creek in Sangamon County.
Tobias Grieder came from Kentucky, settled, and later
died in Shelby County. In 1839, he was appointed to ride as an
evangelist. All his sermons contained lessons of Bible truths.
W.W. Happy came to Jacksonville, Illinois, in 1830
and was a member of the Illinois Legislature before devoting
himself to the Christian ministry. He travelled throughout the
state with Alexander Campbell, preaching and promoting the interests
of Bethany College.
Other itinerants of the 1830's to 1850's were William Morrow
and J.P. Lancaster, who later served the First Christian
Church of Springfield from 1841-1843. James Fanning and
G.W. Patterson also had various preaching assignments
in the Shelby County territory including Decatur. By 1841 Clinton
had become the county seat of DeWitt County and the first wagons
were leaving Missouri and Illinois to investigate the rumors
of a gold strike in California. By 1842, the first public school
building was built at the corner of Water and North Park Streets
in the city of Decatur.
By the early 1850's Carroll Eades and Dr. A.L. Kellar organized
the first prayer meeting at the Decatur church. Dr. Kellar was
a physician and an ordained minister. Arriving here from Kentucky,
most of his professional career was spent in Sullivan, Illinois.
As the Christian congregation of Decatur kept growing, it
became evident that a new church building was needed. After 20
years in the log meeting house, it was sold, and in 1855 a new,
larger, and more convenient house of worship was built of bricks
on the northeast corner of Main and North streets. Christians,
Baptists, and Methodists all built new brick churches during
the 1850's. Also, Decatur's connection to the rest of the nation
was enhanced as the Wabash and Illinois Central crossed their
lines on the northwestern edge of Decatur.
Ebenezer NcNabb and his wife organized the first Sunday School
in 1855 with 60 members. [McDonough, 107] He was an architect
and responsible for most of the buildings on Merchant Street
and the south side of Lincoln Square. The Grand Opera House and
Syndicate Block were also constructed under his direction. Mr.
McNabb was elected as a member of the City Council in 1860, served
the church as an elder for 28 years, and a member for 43 years.
Many other prominent members of Decatur's community were part
of the Christian Church. William L. Hammer served on Decatur's
first School Board, was a Justice of the Peace, Mayor in 1869,
County Judge, and Sunday School Superintendent. Milburn and Sarah
Glore and their 11 children came to Decatur in 1858. Mr. Glore
operated a brickyard supplying many of the bricks for Decatur's
buildings. One of the Glore's daughters, Alice, married Richard
L. Evans who not only taught in the Sunday School, but also served
as Decatur's first librarian. Mr. Martin Murphey, a constable
and draft enroller for the Civil War, was very active in the
church and in the Temperance Movement. It was in his memory that
his wife gave the rich-toned pipe organ to the church dedicated
in 1904. Judge William E. Nelson, in whose honor Nelson Park
was named, wrote about many of the early families in his history
of Decatur and Macon County. |
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The Christian Church continued to grow in and around Decatur.
In the county, churches were established in 1861 in Blue Mound
and Harristown, 1862 in Maroa, 1864 in Oreana, 1867 in Center
Ridge, and 1868 in Niantic. The church at Main and North streets
in Decatur continued to see a number of supply ministers during
the 1860's and 1870's. Travelling from his home in Springfield,
Andrew J. Kane followed Dr. Kellarserving the church twice monthly.
In Judge Nelson's book, Mr. Kane is described as "A most
efficient preacher of the gospel-a man of great power-deeply
convinced of the authority and sovereignty of God, of the divinity
of Christ and of the force and authority of the Bible."
[Nelson] Later ministers included William Ebert 1857-58; Alfred
Paden, John Hughes, and A.J. Taft 1858-1864; William Dawson 1865-67;
P.D. Vermillion 1868-1870; Ira Mitchell 1871; Lucius Ames 1872;
and A.D. Northcutt 1873.
In 1875, the small brick church building that had served the
Christian Church for 20 years was razed and a new one was to
be erected at the same location. The church that had been built
in 1855 was in need of repair and it was decided that a committee
of E.R. Eldridge, E. McNabb, W.E. Nelson, W.L. Sylvester, and
B.O. McReynolds look at the possibility of erecting a new building
at a cost of $6500. (Board minutes, April 1874) Final plans were
presented and adopted at a cost of $7000; E. McNabb would be
the architect and superintendent of construction. During construction,
services and meetings were held in the opera house. On November
4, 1875, the church officers decided to borrow $1500 for two
years at 10% interest to finish paying for the church. (Minutes,
November 4, 1875) It was dedicated on February 27, 1876 in a
sermon by O.A. Burgess from Indianapolis. Nathaniel S. Haynes
was serving as the first permanent minister of the church from
1873-1880. His salary was $1250 during many of the years. In
1911, Mr. Haynes was selected to write a history of the "Disciples
of Christ" in Illinois. This he completed and dedicated
in 1914 under the title History Of The Disciples of Christ in
Illinois spanning the period 1819-1914.
Reverend Haynes was called to
become the state evangelist in 1880, leaving the congregation
to a number of interim preachers. During Rev. Haynes' ministry,
the Board Minutes note a number of interesting activities. "On
July 8, 1874, the treasurer was ordered to send the next Sunday's
contributions for the benefit of the Freedmen of the South. Due
to the extreme weather in Kansas in December 1874, a committee
was established to solicit wearing apparel and clothing to send
to Christian friends there. Brother Haynes asked on November
4, 1875 that the expenses be estimated for the next year and
that it be raised by subscription and paid in an envelope system.
A committee composed of sisters McNabb, Sue Odor, and Anderson
were to purchase grapes this fall and make wine for communion
or they could buy juice, whatever their discretion decided. Lastly,
and although Rev. Haynes had left, the minutes of December 5,
1881, called for Jesse Leforgee to have another gas jet installed
for the benefit of the singers." (Board Minutes Dec. 5,
1881).
After Nathaniel Haynes, an interim pastorate was served by
Frank Maynard. T.W. Pinkerton held the position
of pastor from 1882 until 1890. During his ministry the church
debt was paid, a mission and a small brick building to house
it were established on Leafland Avenue, and church growth continued.
E.B. Cake served as pastor from 1890 to 1892. In 1893, the building
at Main and North streets was moved to 236 N. Edward Street and
was used for one year. Simon Rohrer was the minister during this
move. He was succeeded by George F. Hall, who preached
for a short time in the building.
 As the congregation grew in size, it became
evident that a larger facility was needed. Under Pastor Hall's
tenure a tabernacle, called the Christian Temple, was built on
Church Street where the First Christian Church now stands. It
was dedicated on January 3, 1894. In 1896 a division occurred
in the Christian Church and members of the older body returned
to the Edward Street location, and on November 11, 1896 organized
the Edward Street Christian Church. Judge William E. Nelson provided
much needed wisdom and guidance during this time. Newspaper accounts
of this division are reported at the end of this chapter. The
Church Street Christian Church continued under Rev. George F.
Hall, and Rev. Marion Stevenson was called to the Edward Street
Christian Church on February 1, 1897. His quiet, self-controlled
style, deep spirituality, sympathetic pastoral care, and wise
and capable management provided a firm foundation for the Edward
Street Church's growth. The church was so healthy that the Decatur
Morning Herald stated that at the Church's annual meeting it
was reported that not a single member died in 1899. (Morning
Herald, January 5, 1900) Reverend Stevenson continued until April
1, 1901.
Rev. F.W. Burnham became minister
of the Edward Street congregation on May 1, 1901. His first efforts
were aimed at reuniting the two congregations. His efforts seemed
to have succeeded when at the tabernacle on October 6, 1901,
the two bodies declared themselves one called the Central Church
of Christ of Decatur, Illinois. One week later, however, dissatisfaction
occurred and the Church Street congregation voted to rescind
its previous action.
The Christian community under Rev. Burnham returned to the
Edward Street location under the new name of Central Church of
Christ. The old building was moved to Leafland and Warren streets
to be used for the mission Sunday School which had been organized
by J.Q.A. Odor, and in 1904 L.B.C. Leffingwell was serving as
superintendent. A new church building was erected at Edward and
William Streets and dedicated on April 2, 1905. At that time
the church agencies included the Mission Sunday School, Central's
own Sunday School, the Christian Endeavor Society, Ladies Society
of Social Helpers, the Auxiliary of the Christian Women's Board
of Missions, a girls organization known as the Energetic Club,
and the Boys' Temperance Club. Membership totalled 350.
Rev. Burnham ended his pastorate in 1907. A new congregation,
known as the East Side Christian Church, was established in 1908,
and the Tabernacle was replaced with the present First Christian
Church building in 1913. |
Central Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
(217) 428-4336
email the webmaster at gbarron@cccdisciples.org
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