DAHLGREN BAPTIST CHURCH HISTORY

DAHLGREN BAPTIST CHURCH WAS ORGANIZED IN 1844 BY ELDER T. M. VANCE AND WAS KNOWN AS THE UNITED BAPTIST CHURCH OF LITTLE PRAIRIE.THE MEMBERS HELD SERVICES IN THEIR HOMES FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.

THE FIRST WRITTEN CHURCH RECORDS DATE BACK TO DECEMBER 10, 1853, WHEN THOMAS AND ELIZABETH BELT ISSUED A WARRANTY DEED FOR AN ACRE OF LAND TO YOUNG S. LOWERY, JAMES MC KNIGHT AND ABEL KUYKENDALL, TRUSTEES OF THE UNITED BAPTIST CHURCH OF LITTLE PRAIRIE.

WORKING TOGETHER, THE CHURCH TRUSTEES AND THE DIRECTORS OF THE LITTLE PRAIRIE SCHOOL DISTRICT BUILT A LOG BUILDING ON THAT TRACT OF LAND. IT WAS LOCATED ABOUT TWO MILES EAST OF WHERE THE CHURCH IS CURRENTLY LOCATED. BOTH MISSIONARY BAPTISTS AND PRIMITIVE BAPTISTS ATTENDED THE CHURCH.

THE L&N RAILROAD WAS BUILT THROUGH THIS SECTION OF THE COUNTRY IN 1871-1872 AND THE ORIGINAL VILLAGE OF DAHLGREN WAS SURVEYED MARCH 9, 1872.

AFTER THE VILLAGE OF DAHLGREN CAME INTO EXISTENCE, THE CHURCH LOCATION WAS MOVED. ON MAY 16, 1874, KUYKENDAL AND HIS WIFE NANCY ISSUED A WARRANTY DEED TO THE CHURCH TRUSTEES FOR LOT 13 IN KUYKENDALL’S ADDITION IN DAHLGREN. THIS WAS LOCATED ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE RAILROADS TRACKS.

THE SIZE OF THE LOT WAS 360 FEET BY 149 FEET, AND A FRAME CHURCH WAS ERECTED THERE AND DEDICATED IN 1875. THE FAIRFIELD ASSOCIATION MEETING WAS HELD THERE THE FOLLOWING YEAR, 1876.

IN 1878, THE PRIMITIVE BAPTIST MEMBERS WITHDREW AND FORMED THEIR OWN CHURCH, THE LOWRY HILL PRIMITIVE BAPTIST CHURCH.

FROM THAT TIME ON, THE UNITED BAPTIST CHURCH OF LITTLE PRAIRIE WAS CALLED THE DAHLGREN MISSIONARY CHURCH.

IN 1915 THE CHURCH BUILT A BRICK BUILDING AT THE CURRENT LOCATION. IN 1968 THE CHURCH BUILT A PARSONAGE. A BAPTISTERY AND ADDITIONAL EDUCATIONAL ROOMS WERE ADDED IN 1978.

THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF DAHLGREN BAPTIST CHURCH HISTORY IS THE MANY SOULS THAT HAVE BEEN SAVED AND THE LIVES THAT HAVE BEEN TOUCHED BY THE LORD BY HIS MINISTRY THROUGH THIS CONGREGATION.

ALL GLORY AND HONOR TO JESUS CHRIST

DELAFIELD BAPTIST CHURCH HISTORY

ACCORDING TO PREVIOUS ARRANGEMENT ELDERS J. B. SMITH, LEONARD BOND, J. D. HOOKER AND DEACONS PRESSLEY MAULDING AND J. W. ECHOLS AS A PRESBYTERY MET THE PEOPLE AT TEXAS GROVE SCHOOL JANUARY 29, 1887 FOR THE PURPOSE OF ORGANIZING A UNITED BAPTIST CHURCH OF CHRIST. FIFTY-FIVE PERSONS, WITH LETTERS FROM MIDDLE CREEK AND BLOOMING GROVE CHURCHES ENTERED INTO THE ORGANIZATION THEN WITH FOUR MORE JOINING THE NEXT DAY. OTHERS WERE ADDED EACH MONTH EXCEPT FOR SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER MAKING A TOTAL OF NINETY-EIGHT BY THE END OF THE FIRST YEAR.

THE FIRST RECORDS FOUND BEGAN IN 1897, TEN YEARS LATER. YEAR AFTER YEAR COMMITTEES WERE APPOINTED TO SEE THESE MEMBERS AND FIND OUT THEIR REASONS FOR NOT ATTENDING. AN EVER PRESENT PROBLEM WAS HOW TO RAISE ENOUGH MONEY TO KEEP UP THE BUILDING, GET SUPPLIES AND PAY THEIR PASTORS. THIS WAS DONE IN MANY WAYS, SUCH AS USING COMMITTEES TO SOLICIT DONATIONS FOR SPECIAL NEEDS. HAVING THE CLERK OR A FINANCIER SEE INDIVIDUALS FOR THEIR GIFTS, AND BY TAKING UP COLLECTIONS IN SERVICES. LUNCHES SERVED AT SALES, AND QUILTING WERE OCCASIONALLY USED TO RAISE NEEDED FUNDS, (THESE WERE PROBABLY USED MORE FOR THE FELLOWSHIP THAN AS MEANS OF MAKING MONEY, WE DID ENJOY THOSE GETOGETHERS.) FOR EIGHTEEN YEARS TEXAS GROVE BAPTIST CHURCH WAS LOCATED NEAR THE JOHN B. MAULDING FARM ON MYERS CURVE ON THE OLD MT VERNON ROAD. DURING THAT TIME 205 MEMBERS, 71 BY BAPTISM, WERE RECEIVED INTO THE FELLOWSHIP. BY THE END OF 1904 ABOUT 102 HAD BEEN DISMISSED BY LETTER, 27 HAD BEEN DROPPED FOR VARIOUS REASONS, AND 21 WERE LOST BY DEATH LEAVING 55 MEMBERS.

IN SEPTEMBER 1904 THE CHURCH VOTED TO MOVE THEIR PLACE OF WORSHIP TO THE VILLAGE OF DELAFIELD. A COMMITTEE OF FIVE WAS APPOINTED TO CONTINUE SERVING UNTIL THE JOB WAS DONE. THE BUILDING WAS MOVED ON LAND THAT WAS DONATED BY SOLOMON E. YODER. IN FEBRUARY 1905 THE NAME WAS CHANGED FROM TEXAS GROVE TO DELAFIELD BAPTIST CHURCH.

IN JUNE A BELL WAS BOUGHT AND THE TIME FOR THE “BELL HANGING” WAS ANNOUNCED. ANDY MITCHELL BROUGHT THE BELL FROM MC LEANSBORO BY WAGON AND TEAM. MONTH AFTER MONTH THE BELL RANG OUT THE INVITATION TO COME TO GOD’S HOUSE, AND THE PEOPLE CAME.

BY 1908 FIFTY-SIX MORE MEMBERS HAD BEEN ADDED MAKING AN AVERAGE 26 PLUS FOR THE FIRST FOUR YEARS IN DELAFIELD

IN 1900 DELEGATES WERE ELECTED TO THE LOCAL ASSOCIATION AND MONEY WAS SENT FOR MINUTES AND FOR ASSOCIATIONAL MISSIONS. A MOTION WAS MADE AND CARRIED TO ADOPT THE CONSTITUTION FOR BAPTIST CHURCHES OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS IN FEBRUARY 1907

ALTHOUGH THE CHURCH HAD PREACHING SERVICES ONLY ONCE A MONTH YOU MIGHT SAY IT WAS A FULL TIME CHURCH. ON THE OTHER SUNDAY

NIGHTS THEY MET FOR PRAYER MEETING LED BY THE MEMBERS WHICH GAVE THEM OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP IN READING AND EXPLAINING GOD’S WORD, TO ENJOY SINGING, AND TO WITNESS IN TESTIMONIES. LATER, SUNDAY SCHOOL, TRAINING UNION AND THE MISSIONARY ORGANIZATIONS BECAME A VITAL PART OF THE CHURCH WORK. AND THE ASSOCIATIONAL B. Y. P. U. WAS ORGANIZED ( OR PERHAPS REORGANIZED) IN 1933

IN JULY 1934 THE DAHLGREN W. M. S. CAME AND HELPED ORGANIZE A MISSIONARY SOCIETY WHICH HAS CONTINUED TO THIS TIME.THE CHURCH VOTED TO HAVE HALF-TIME PREACHING IN 1937. DURING THIS TIME, AND LATER, STATE WORKERS WERE OFTEN INVITED TO TEACH A BOOK STUDY, ADVISE AND ASSIST THE ORGANIZATIONS, AND THE CHURCH HAD ITS FIRST VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL IN JULY 1942.

ANOTHER STEP FORWARD WAS TAKEN IN 1945 WHEN THE CHURCH VOTED TO GIVE SUNDAY SCHOOL FUNDS TO THE CHURCH TREASURER AND ADOPTED A BUDGET WHICH INCLUDED 5 PERCENT TO THE COOPERATIVE PROGRAM OF MISSIONS. THIS WAS LATER INCREASED TO 10 PERCENT WITH FIVE PERCENT GIVEN TO ASSOCIATIONAL MISSIONS IN 1960.

FULL-TIME PREACHING BEGAN IN 1950 SO PRAYER MEETING WAS MOVED TO WEDNESDAY EVENING. THE MOVING OF MANY FAMILIES TO THE CITIES FOR BETTER JOB OPPORTUNITIES LEFT US WITH FEW CHILDREN. BY COOPERATING WITH THE NEIGHBORING CHURCH MIDDLE CREEK, WE WERE ABLE TO HAVE V. B. S. AND TO TAKE PART IN AN ASSOCIATIONAL SCHOOL OF MISSIONS IN 1965. OF THE 55 RESIDENT MEMBERS , 28 LIVED MORE THAN FIVE MILES AWAY, BUSINESS MEETINGS WERE HELD WEDNESDAY EVENING AFTER THE FIRST SUNDAY AND MISSIONARY PROGRAMS WERE HELD THE NEXT WEEK.

IN 1964, THE CHURCH BOUGHT NEW SEATS AND PULPIT STAND. IN MAY 1968 THE LORD’S SUPPER TABLE WAS DONATED TO THE CHURCH BY MRS. RUTHER HODGES. BRO CHAMP HEFNER WAS THE PASTOR AT THIS TIME, FEBRUARY 1964 THROUGH AUGUST 1971. BRO VIRGIL BARR SERVED AS PASTOR FROM OCTOBER 1971 THROUGH AUGUST 8, 1974. THE AIR CONDITIONING WAS INSTALLED IN JUNE 1972. A BUILDING FUND WAS BEGUN WITH A PENNY MARCH EACH SUNDAY UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF OUR S. S. SUPT CHARLIE HART.

BRO TIM LEE ACCEPTED THE CALL TO THE CHURCH AND SERVED AS PASTOR FROM AUGUST 15.1974 TO JULY 11. 1976. PASTOR LEE AND THE CHURCH MADE PLANS TO BUILD AN ADDITION. IN OCTOBER A BUILDING COMMITTEE MADE UP OF CHARLIE HART, HAROLD CROSS, AND JOHN PRATHER WAS APPOINTED TO WORK WITH THE PASTOR, BRO LEE AND BRING PLANS TO THE CHURCH.

SIXTY-NINE YEARS AFTER THE BELL HAD BEEN HUNG, IT WAS REMOVED AND THE BELFRY WAS REPAIRED OCTOBER 22. 1974.

IN FEBRUARY 1974 THE CHURCH VOTED TO BUILD THE ADDITION. ON FEBRUARY 16, 1975, A SHORT GROUND-BREAKING CEREMONY WAS HELD IN MISTING RAIN.

THE RADIO MINISTRY WHICH CONTINUES TODAY, WAS BEGUN ON FEBRUARY 1975.

MAY 22, 1976 UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF BRO. LEE THE CHURCH VOTED TO BUY SEVEN AND ONE-HALF ACRES SURROUNDING THE CHURCH.

JULY 11, 1976 BRO. LEE RESIGNED AS PASTOR OF DELAFIELD AND ORGANIZED AN INDEPENDENT CHURCH CALLED FELLOWSHIP BAPTIST CHURCH. THIRTY FIVE MEMBERS LEFT WITH HIM.

BRO BILL AUXIER BEGAN HIS PASTORATE IN AUGUST 1976. THERE HAVE BEEN THIRTY TWO ADDITIONS, TWENTY THREE BY LETTER AND STATEMENT OF FACT, NINE BY BAPTISM.

SINCE BRO AUXIER HAS BEEN PASTOR A WMU HAS BEEN RE-ORGANIZED, LAYMEN ALONG WITH THE PASTOR ARE DOING PERSONAL VISITING, AND THE CHURCH IS SUPPORTING MISSIONS AT HOME AND ABROAD. THE CHURCH HAS HAD A TOTAL OF THIRTY-TWO PASTORS IN ITS 90 YEARS.

DITNEY RIDGE BAPTIST CHURCH

DITNEY RIDGE UNITED BAPTIST CHURCH WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1894 IN WHITE COUNTY ON A PIECE OF PROPERTY DONATED BY THE CRAWFORD HENSON FAMILY. CHURCH HISTORY STATES THAT DITNEY JOINED THE ASSOCIATION (APPARENTLY GOSHEN TRAIL?) AND THE FIRST MESSENGERS WERE SENT TO DAHLGREN FOR A MEETING. THE CHURCH REMAINED VERY ACTIVE WITH SEVERAL PASTORS UNTIL THE 1920'S WHEN THE GREAT DEPRESSION AND BAD WEATHER CONDITIONS NEARLY CAUSED IT TO CLOSE ITS DOORS. SOME PASTORS FROM HAMILTON COUNTY RODE HORSEBACK TO DITNEY AND STAYED OVERNIGHT WITH A CHURCH FAMILY. IT WAS NOT UNCOMMON FOR SERVICES TO BE HELD ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY. APPARENTLY DITNEY DID CLOSE BRIEFY BUT IN 1933 ORDER WAS RESTORED AND OTTO CATLIN WAS TO BE THE PASTOR.

CONCERNING CHANGES IN 1899 THE TITLE UNITED WAS DROPPED FROM THE CHURCH’S NAME; AS IT IS NOW KNOWN AS DITNEY RIDGE MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH. FROM 1894-1945, THE ORIGINAL STRUCTURE WAS USED TO HOLD SERVICES. IN1945, TWO CLASSROOMS WERE ADDED TO THE BUILDING ALONG WITH NEW ENTRYWAY. IN1982 A NEW SANCTUARY WAS ERECTED FOLLOWED BY A DEDICATION SERVICE. IN 1993 A NEW ADDITION CONTAINING CLASSROOMS AND A NEW SANCTUARY WAS BUILT ONTO PREVIOUS BUILDING.

DITNEY HAS HAD ITS SHARE OF SPECIAL EVENTS AND CELEBRATIONS. VBS HAS BEEN HELD EVERY SUMMER SINCE 1945. YOUTH AND ADULT REVIVALS HAVE ALSO BEEN A CONSTANT AT DITNEY THROUGHOUT THE YEARS. THE CURRENT PASTOR C. ERNEST ESSARY, WHO HAS SERVES AS PASTOR OF NEW PROSPECT BAPTIST CHURCH WAS RECOGNIZED FOR 50 YEARS OF SERVICE IN 2005 AT NEW PROSPECT AND FOR SERVING OVER 40 YEARS AT DITNEY. DITNEY HAS SEEN HUGE GROWTH OVER THE YEARS AND EVEN SPONSORS A DITNEY BAPTIST CHURCH IN GHANA, AFRICA.

THE FOLLOWING PASTORS HAVE SERVED AT DITNEY RIDGE ALTHOUGH EXACT

DATES ARE NOT GIVEN FOR MOST OF THE FOLLOWING.

R.B TUDOR 1894 EDWARD PILCHER

T.B.NORMAN WAYNE YORK

JAKEY BARNETT MARION HENSON

J.B.TITTLE C. ERNEST ESSARY-PRESENT PASTOR

T.B. HUNT

DAVID MC DONALD

TOM JORDAN

OTTO CATLIN

GILBERT WALDEN

W.K. SISK JR

BILLY MILLER

VIRGIL BARR

HISTORY OF ENFIELD MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH

IN FALL OF 1950, IN ENFIELD, A TENT MEETING WAS HELD ON MAIN STREET. THIS REVIVAL WAS SPONSORED BY THE FAIRFIELD ASSOCIATION AND PREACHED BY THE LATE REV. EUGENE KAUFMAN.

AN INTEREST WAS CREATED IN ORGANIZING A MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH. OUT OF THIS INTEREST A SMALL GROUP OF PEOPLE MET AT SISTER BELLE HATCHER’S TO DISCUSS THE POSSIBILITY OF MEETING REGULARLY. IN THE NEAR FUTURE THE LORD OPENED UP A WAY FOR THIS SMALL GROUP TO RENT A STORE BUILDING. A SUNDAY SCHOOL WAS ORGANIZED WITH ONE ADULT CLASS. REV KAUFMAN PREACH EACH SUNDAY MORNING AND EVENING.

IN THE LATE FALL OF 1951 THIS GROUP OF PEOPLE CALLED FOR A COUNCIL MEETING WITH ALL THE CHURCHES OF THE FAIRFIELD ASSOCIATION. ALL THE CHURCH’S PASTORS SAT IN COUNCIL FOR THE PURPOSE OF COUNCILING THE CHARTER MEMBERS AND ESTABLISHING THE ENFIELD MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH..

THE CHARTER MEMBERS OF THE ENFIELD MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH WERE: JOHN AND HAZEL METCALF, BRUCE AND MARJORIE HARDESTY, HELEN RUEMMIER, BELLE HATCHER, AND JUNE FITZGERALD.

IN 1953, WITH THE HELP AND PRAYERS OF MANY INTERESTED BAPTISTS, THE BAKER LOTS WERE PURCHASED AND THE PRESENT AUDITORIUM WAS ERECTED UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE LATE PASTOR ELVIS TOLLEY.

THERE SOON CAME A NEED FOR MORE SUNDAY SCHOOL SPACE. BY THIS TIME A TRAINING UNION HAD BEEN ORGANIZED AND THERE WAS A NEED FOR AN EDUCATIONAL BUILDING.

ON SUNDAY JUNE 4, 1961 A SPECIAL BUSINESS MEETING WAS CALLED TO ACT ON THE BROADWAY BOND RESOLUTION. IT WAS VOTED TO ACCEPT THE BOND RESOLUTION. AT THE BUSINESS MEETING OF JUNE 11, 1961 THE CHURCH VOTED TO ACCEPT THE FLOOR PLANS FOR AN EDUCATIONAL BUILDING, WITH MODIFICATIONS TO BE MADE BY THE CHURCH AS THEY SAW FIT. THIS BUILDING PROGRAM WAS UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF PASTOR ROY FLEMING.

WITH GOD’S HELP AND FAITHFUL PRAYERS AND STEWARDSHIP OF THE CHURCH AND OTHER BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST, THE ENFIELD MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH IS AT THIS TIME DEBT FREE.

PASTORS OF THE ENFIELD MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH:

EUGENE KAUFMAN ROY FLEMING GARY LEMMON

BURDELL O’NEAL JAMES LESTER DALE BENNETT

ELVIS TOLLEY CARL E TENNYSON RAYMOND “BUD”WATSON

HERBERT ALBERTSON EARL OVERSTREET RUSSELL MONROE

JACK SHELBY MELVIN JONES CLINT HARL

CLARK DURWACHTER EARL PHILLIPS EDDY RAY PRICE INTERIM

HOWARD IRWIN JAMES SMOOT GREG LEGGETT

LIONAL HARSHBARGER ERNEST BINGMAN OTTO CATLIN INTERIM

THE ENFIELD MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH IS LOCATED AT 312 WEST NORTH STREET. PASTOR GREG LEGGETT CAME TO THE CHURCH IN MAY 2005.

OUR SERVICES ARE:

SUNDAY SCHOOL 9:00 AM

SUNDAY MORNING WORSHIP 10:00 AM

SUNDAY EVENING WORSHIP 6:00 PM

WEDNESDAY BIBLE STUDY 7:00 PM

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