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The
Free Methodist Church
The Rushville Times, October 7, 1948
The organization of the Free Methodist church
in the Rushville community dates back almost 70 years, when in the year
1880 an independent group of Christ-loving people from the territory lying
west and north of Rushville who were interested in the promotion of the
holiness work in the community, held a meeting at the Camden-Macomb crossroads
for the purpose of perfecting an organization according to their belief.
Present at this meeting were the following prominent early day residents
of the community: Rev. William Ross, John Bartlow Sparks, Rosella Sparks,
Alex Young, Isaac Garrison, and Allen R. Turner.
Following the perfecting of this organization,
an evangelist by the name of Patterson, a Methodist, held a revival at
the White Oak church, northwest of Rushville, in the year 1881. Among those
to become sanctified in this revival were Vete Bartlow, William Loring,
and Marion Peterson.
Others who united with the above-mentioned
persons in the building of the church, known as Antioch, down thru the
intervening years, were: Bill and Lucy Ross, Rozella Sparks (who donated
the building site), Dana and Anna Sherman, Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Garrison,
Alex and Eliza Young, John S. Sparks, Mr. and Mrs. Allen Turner, and Adam
Corrie, the latter providing the lumber for the church frame.
In the year 1882 Antioch church joined
the Central Illinois conference of Free Methodists, and was taken over
by that denomination, and Rev. A. J. Smith was one of the first resident
pastors to be sent here by the Free Methodist conference. Among
the other early day preachers were Rev. Douty, Rev. Thomas Marsh, Rev.
Robert Sanderson, and Rev. William Bone.
The founders of the Antioch church were
a happy group of God-loving people, and it has been related how Marion
Peterson, Bill Loring, Adam Corrie, and Vete Bartlow would pass the Bartlow
homestead, going on horseback to some holiness convention. As the horses
were making their way thru the mud, their riders were heard singing and
shouting the praises of God.
Many able pastors have since served the
Antioch Free Methodist church, and it was during the pastorate of the
present pastor, Rev. Lester Banning, that the decision was made to erect
a larger church edifice, and one in a more centrally located place.
As the result of this determination on the part of the pastor and members
of the Free Methodist congregations at Antioch and the other churches on
the circuit, their dreams and hopes were realized, and the
beautiful, modern brick church edifice, which now stands at the corner of
South Liberty and East Clinton streets in Rushville, was completed and dedicated free from debt at services
held July 4, 1948.
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