Bear Creek Church

(1870-1912)

The Gospel Messenger Feb. 27, 1872 page 140 Vol. VIII No. 9

Brother Hollinger: As church news is read with interest by myself I presume by a great many others.  I will as I have been requested by son of my brethren, give you some news from our arm of the church. We organized a year ago some time in September last,  by electing one speaker and a deacon.  Since then we have had regular preaching twice a month, council meeting once every three months.  Have had three additions by baptism and three by letter, and four more are intending to move in by spring, when we will number in all , twenty-five. Our church is known by the name of Bear Creek.  It is a along  a branch of the Toledo, Wabash and Western railroad, running from Decator, Ill., to St Louis.  We very much desire ministering brethren traveling east or west, to stop with us and preaching for us. as the brethren that generally come to us have a great ways to come, we do not get to hear them as often as we would like; thought they come as often as we could ask them to . Brother Daniel “Shively from New Paris, Ind., stopping with us this winter, on his way home from Missouri and Kansas; preached for us twice, and as he is an old acquaintance of the greater portion of the brethren here, we were very happy to see him, and more especially to hear him preach.  And we would like very much to see that article come out in the C. F. C., that he said he would write.  A. S. Leer.  Morrisonville, Ill

Primitive Christian March 5, 1878 page 139 Vol. II No. 9

Bro. John S. Stutsman of Morrisonville, Ill, says: 'The Bear Creek church was organized Sept 24th 1870 with twelve members, six brethren and six sisters. Out of that number one was elected to the ministry and one as deacon on the day of organization. The church has been steadily increasing and up to the present time, fifty-eight have been received by baptism and fifty three by letter. We have given certificates to thirty-nine who have moved to other churches. Three have died and three were expelled, one of which has been reclaimed We now have a membership of eighty two. We have three speakers and three deacons. Thirty-nine have been baptized since January 1st, 1877.