This is the oldest church organization in Sterling having been formed as early as 1838, by Rev. Barton H. Cartwright, in the cabin of Hezekiah Brink. The membership then consisted of only Mr. and Mrs. Luther Bush, Mr. and Mrs. Hezekiah Brink, Mrs. Geer, and Mrs. Pratt. With this nucleus it advanced with the growth of the population, until it became an extensive and influential church. Mr. Cartwright was one of those brave, untiring, zealous, Methodist missionary preachers of the West to whose presence and exertions many a pioneer settlement was indebted for the privileges of the gospel, and the formation of church societies which not only tended to unite the few faithful christians into religious organizations in accordance with their early teachings, but brought them together as friends and neighbors. To such men all honor is due, and their services should be gratefully remembered. Mr. Cartwright is yet a circuit preacher and is located at Hampshire, in the Dixon District of the Rock River Conference, having been a faithful minister for nearly half a century. Men like Barton H. Cartwright die with their harness on. The first quartery meeting of the new Society was held by Rev. Thomas Hitt, in 1839. The church edifice was built in 1855, when Rev. S. F. Penning was pastor. Previous to that time services were held in the old stone school house, and the Court House. Luther Bush, Samuel Hoover, Hezekiah Brink, J. E. Cobby, and Smith Conklin were the trustees. Rev. S. F. Denning was the first pastor sent to Sterling. Previous to 1855 the church belonged to Buffalo Grove Circuit, and we have been unable to ascertain the names of ministers who supplied it while it was attached to that circuit. The successors of Mr. Denning have been Revs. Z. D. Paddock, S. G. Havermale, C. C. Best, Benjamen Close, J. Hartwell, A. H. Schoonmaker, S. F. Denning, a second time, M. H. Plumb, J. Borbidge, Jas. Bush, Thos. Chipperfield, and J. B. McGuffin, the present pastor. The following are the present Trustees Elias Burkholder, Geo. Newton, J. R. Deyo, Wm. Hess, R. L. Mangan, Charles Roberts, Henry Bush, J. D. Lamb, and M. M. Royer. The Sunday School belonging to the church numbers one hundred scholars, with J. D. Lamb as Superintendent. The Fourth Street M. E. Church was formed from it in 1867. The present membership is now one hundred and thirty-one.

Source: Bent & Wilson History of Whiteside County 1877