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Source: NMHS Newsletter Feb 1995Churches of North Manchester
by Rosemary Manifold
Rosemary wrote to sixteen North Manchester churches
asking them for a succinct history of their church.
Thirteen replied. With that new information, the many
interesting facts about the town which she learned while
working at the museum, and the background gleaned from
her husband's earlier research paper she prepared the
following presentation which she made to the Society in
March, 1995.
There was desperate need for churches in the early days
of our country. Many people came to the frontier to get
away from law and order, for adventure, or in poverty to
make a living. Whiskey was a necessity. One couldn't get
help unless one furnished whiskey. It was even often on
subscription lists for minister's salaries. Horse
racing, fighting and gambling were the principal
recreation. Rape, divorce, bigamy, and adultery were
common. Churches and schools were needed. Church members
were disciplined for participating in some of these
"extra" activities. Church membership was small, but it
set the moral pattern and standard, and this was
important in maintaining decency and order.
The first sermon preached in North Manchester was
probably by Bryant Fanning, a minister of the Christian
Church, called the "New Lights", in Peter Ogan's barn.
This group was quite active in this area, but no
congregation was organized until some 50 years later.
The German Baptist Brethren were also in this area early
with mostly rural churches. Of course, everything was
pretty rural then, but the organization of this
denomination in North Manchester came later. Most of
this group was of German heritage.
Methodists are the spiritual children of John and
Charles Wesley, ordained clergy of the Church of England
(known as the Episcopal Church here in the U.S). After a
particular religious experience in England, John and
Charles began sharing their experience with others, and
organized interested persons into societies and classes.
They continued in the Church of England though they were
not very welcome there. Unordained preachers migrated to
America and began Methodism here about 1760, but members
were to go to the Anglican Church for the sacraments.
When the Anglican clergy left America during the
American Revolution, that left no one to give the
sacraments here. Wesley then directed that ministers
should be ordained in 1784 and the Methodist Episcopal
Church was organized.
Ministers of the Christian Church, Church of the
Brethren (German Baptist Brethren) and Baptists were
often engaged in other work in the community. They
settled in an area and ministered to their neighbors.
Not so the Methodists. They were circuit riders under
bishops and presiding elders (we call them District
Superintendents now). They were assigned to a territory
and made a circuit, coming as often as possible to
minister to people in every little settlement.
In 1840 the Rochester circuit was formed. It began
somewhere west of Rochester and extended east to
Columbia City or beyond. North Manchester and Liberty
Mills became part of that circuit. Preaching may have
taken place in a home or a schoolhouse. It often took
four weeks to complete the circuit. Young ministers
(often in their teens) were assigned with older ones, in
their twenties or thirties, and this was their
theological school. When circuits became too populated
or crowded, new circuits had to be established. By 1845
Liberty Mills circuit had been established and North
Manchester and Akron were part of it. There was no
church building or parsonage on the circuit and the
circuit rider, Rev. Warren Griffith, asked Liberty Mills
to build a church and parsonage. He told them that if
they wouldn't do it, he would go to North Manchester and
Henry Strickler would build him one there. They
evidently thought the school house was good enough. So
he did go to North Manchester and Strickler built a
church and parsonage that very year. He used the lumber
he was going to use to build his own house.
The United Brethren Church which began among German
speaking people after the Revolution met here first in
1844 in the barn of Richard Helvey, first settler in
Chester Township. He was part owner of "The American
House", a hotel that later burned. He built a barn at
205 E. Second Street, and they met there until 1854.
They held revival services in the Lutheran Church. When
they built their first church building it was a frame
building at 306 E. Second Street and it was used for 31
years.
In 1885 the frame building was sold to the Progressives
(First Brethren) and moved to 407 N. Sycamore. The
parsonage they were using was sold for $20 and moved to
South Sycamore and used to store onions. The building
was heated so the onions wouldn't freeze, but it burned
one day, and the whole town smelled the onions. When the
frame building was gone a brick building was built with
art glass windows.
The merger of the Evangelical and the United Brethren
Churches took place in 1946 and the denomination became
the Evangelical United Brethren or E.U.B. for short. In
1954 Rev. Walter House did much remodeling while he
served this church and in 1964 at a rededication and
anniversary of remodeling and the honoring of Rev.
Benjamin Thomas at his retirement, the special speaker
of the day was Rev. Merrell Geible (currently an active
member of the Historical Society).
The E.U.B and the Methodist denominations who were very
similar in emphasis united in 1968 and became the United
Methodist. The local congregations chose the Second and
Sycamore location for their merged churches. The old
Methodist Church on Second and Front Streets sold in
1970 and the sanctuary was torn down. The rest of the
building is now used as the Masonic Hall. At the new
site, remodeling was done, parking space added and they
now own one half of the block. Paul Steele is the
present pastor.
Though the Church of the Brethren, or the German Baptist
or Dunkard Church didn't construct the first church
building, or record the first sermon preached here, they
very much had a part in the early affairs of the
community. Joseph Harter, one of the early settlers who
came from Ohio in 1836 settled in North Manchester. He
was influential in organizing the Eel River congregation
in 1838. In 1852 it was divided into two congregations -
Eel River and Manchester but the Manchester congregation
was not in town. It was what later became the West
Manchester Church and at that location. In addition to
this division there were further divisions into several
nearby congregations.
The first house of worship in town was built on Walnut
Street and dedicated in March 1881. Brick was hauled
from a kiln south of Servia. Total cost was$3300. for a
40 by 60 building. That building was replaced in 1907.
The three-story Sunday School addition was built in 1925
and major remodeling was done in 1951. Present pastors
are Susan and Bryan Boyer and Bruce Hostetler.
In the 1880's tensions developed in the denomination and
in 1881 four or five thousand who wanted to go back to
old ways withdrew and took the name Old German Baptist
Brethren, generally referred to as the "Old Order."
Within the next year, another group of five or six
thousand withdrew to form the Brethren Church, sometimes
called the "Progressives." They are also called, as here
in North Manchester, the First Brethren Church.
The First Brethren here was organized in 1883 with 25
charter members. In 1885 they purchased for $200 the
frame building from the United Brethren on Second Street
who were abandoning it to build a new brick church. The
Brethren moved it to a lot at the corner of Sycamore and
Fifth and used it until 1912 when they built a brick
church and moved the frame building to the back of the
lot. Records show that the architect received 60 cents
per hour for his services and the lumber supply company
was generous in allowing discounts. The regular wage for
a carpenter ranged from $2.00 to $2.25 for a ten-hour
day and brick masons received 60 cents an hour. Some of
the labor was donated by church members. The total cost
of the building was $14,500. Since they had only $6,000
in the fund, they asked for donations on dedication day.
Eleven people pledged $500 and with the rest of the
pledges, they raised the entire deficit in a few
minutes. Distinguished pastors of the church were J.R.
Schutz, who served a total of 20 years, with five
appointments, and W. A. Immel, who served for 22 years.
Their present pastor is Marlin McCann who has served
since 1987.
The Old German Baptist Brethren church on Route 13 west
of town represents the other group from the Great Divide
of the 1880's.
The Lutheran Church was organized in 1846 with 17
charter members. They bought a lot on the south side of
Main Street, west of Market, for $40 and began building
a church. They met in homes until the church was
finished in 1847 at a cost of $1000. Records show that
the largest amount contributed to that first building
was $40 and other contributions ranged from 50 cents up.
Two Lutheran groups were involved: The Evangelical
Lutherans, who built the church and the German Reformed
Lutherans. The latter group purchased half interest in
the building for $148 and acquired the privilege of
using the building half time. Later the two
congregations united into the Zion Lutheran Church. In
1882 they had 120 members and began building the present
building. The old building was moved across the street
and later moved to the west end of town. At various
times it was used as a laundry, second-hand store, paint
shop, a church, and for Strauss storage. The new church
building was dedicated in 1883 and was at that time the
second largest and finest church in the Indiana synod.
While this building was being constructed, the
congregation met in the Opera House which was located
where the parking lot is now next to the American
Legion. One of the early pastors (1903-1905) was Lloyd
C. Douglas, who later attained great fame as an author.
He began his ministry while in theological school and
was ordained before he left here. There was a series of
short (for a Lutheran Church) pastorates until Rev.
Homer Ogle came in 1924 and served for almost 40 years.
Records show that the pastor was paid $113 in 1854 -
then $300 a year until 1875 when it was raised to $400.
The present pastor is Jeffrey Hawkins.
While I mentioned that the first sermon that was
preached in North Manchester was by a Christian Church
preacher, a congregation was not established until 1884.
(Earlier congregations of this denomination were
established at Eel River, 1842; Pleasant Grove, 1845;
and Servia, 1849.) The organization meeting for the
North Manchester congregation was held in the Lutheran
Church. There were 32 charter members.
In 1931 the Christian Church as a denomination united
with the Congregational Church to become the
Congregational Christian Church. In 1957 this
Congregational Christian Church joined with another
united group, the Evangelical and Reformed Church, to
form the United Church of Christ. After a time the local
church became concerned over certain policies of the new
church, and voted to withdraw, so they now are again a
Congregational Christian Church. Fred Conkling, who
taught at Manchester College and Jim Overholt, a local
young man, served this church. John Curtis has served
this church since 1977.
The Church of the Nazarene began as an international
denomination in 1895 in Massachusetts, Tennessee, and
Los Angeles, California. These three branches joined in
1908 as the Pentecostal Church of the Nazarene. The word
Pentecostal was dropped in 1919. The local church
organized in 1935 and 36 and began as tent meetings.
They then used the building that had been used by the
Lutheran Church before they built their brick building.
The Nazarene General Superintendent at the time
described the old building as being, "the only church I
have been in where one could stand on the platform and
shake hands with the people as they went out the back
door." When they were ready to build their own church,
they had only $5 in their building fund, but faithful
givers and contributions from other sources made up the
difference. The town gave them $3500 and an Old Order
couple gave $30 - the total of their monthly old age
pension. They said they would eat out of the things in
their cellar.
The church's main emphasis is full salvation preaching
Scriptural Holiness as a second definite work of grace
without speaking in tongues. The present pastor, since
1993, is Walter Irons, III.
The Manchester Bible Church, an independent Bible church
on CR 300 E was brought together in 1948 by John
Kissinger because there was no fundamentalist church in
this area and was incorporated in 1952. They began with
twenty charter members, nine of whom were from one
extended family. They began meeting in the chapel of the
Pleasant Grove cemetery. By 1961 they had grown from 34
to 147. They moved into their present building in 1954;
built a parsonage in 1963. The congregation degenerated
and the church morale began to sag during two pastorates
and the members who were left wanted to go back to an
earlier pastor. All of the charter members had left
during this period. A pastor with a healing ministry
then came and worked to rebuild. The name was changed
perhaps to diminish competition with the newly organized
Baptist Church, or to help overcome a negative image.
Contacts have been mostly with new people. They have a
school called the Manchester Christian School. The
present pastor is David R. Erdman.
The Landmark Apostolic Church, which meets in the Town
Life Center felt that there was a deep need for some one
to be preaching the Apostles Doctrine 1)the oneness of
the Godhead, 2) separation from the world, and 3)
resurrection of the dead. The Apostles were to preach
repentance, have immersion baptism in water in JESUS
name and be filled with the Holy Ghost as evidenced by
speaking in tongues. God is the only head -- it doesn't
take three gods to defeat one devil. JESUS is the God of
the Old Testament. The church was begun in the late
nineteen forties or early fifties with a 3-month
revival. There are no records from its beginning until
1993 when W.S. Gaines, the present pastor, came. Over
100 have come through their doors. Their record
attendance is 38. Most of those who have come or who are
associated with the church had been non-churched
persons.
The Missionary Church was started in March, 1953. They
tried unsuccessfully to buy the building of a closed
church, then bought a lot that same year. A building was
constructed fro $21,000 with much volunteer labor from
members and ministers from nearby churches of the
denomination, and meals were served by other volunteers
on major work days. They had their first public service
in May, 1954, with 44 in attendance.
In 1968 the denominations of United Missionary Churches
and Missionary Church Association united forming the
Missionary Church. A former resident had given J. H.
Kimbel, United Missionary Director of Indiana church
extension program, the names of two families in North
Manchester who might be interested in a church like the
United Missionary. Meanwhile the North Manchester
residents had learned that there was a "good spiritual
college" in Mishawaka (Bethel College, started in 1947)
and wrote a letter to the President. This letter was
handed over to Rev. Mr. Kimbel and the contact was made.
After plans were discussed, they started a prayer
meeting and Rev. Mr. Kimbel came the 170-mile round trip
weekly to minister to the spiritual needs of the young
flock. The church enlarged its facilities in 1977 and
can now seat about 250. William Greenhood is the present
pastor.
St. Robert's Catholic Church, named after Saint Robert
Bellarmine, their patron saint, began as a storefront
mission in the Western Auto Store on Main Street in
February, 1958. Father Zahn, from St. Bernards in Wabash
served as the first pastor. The storefront mission
became a parish in 1963 and the present building was
dedicated in April, 1965. The Rectory was blessed in
May, 1971. The church has a Steiner-Reck pipe organ
installed in 1985. From a small beginning about 35 years
ago they have grown to a parish of about 130 families
(400 parishioners). There have been nine pastors since
the beginning and this church is now being served by
Father Robert Mahoney who has been here since 1984.
Sweetwater Assembly of God started with a dream. Brother
Amos Conley, living in Arizona, received a dream from
God that he should return to North Manchester and start
a church. In late August, 1974, the Evangel Assembly of
God began services in a small country church on CR 400 E
-- one room with twelve pews, two oil-burning stoves, a
baby bed in a corner, and an outhouse. In the first year
attendance grew to 25 persons. In another vision,
Brother Conley was directed to "claim" some land east of
North Manchester. He walked over the land several times
to "claim" it. He tried to buy it from the owner, Lowell
Emerick, but he refused to sell. But later, not
understanding why, the land owner offered to sell Bro.
Conley five acres. The church purchased it and built a
pole barn structure in 1977. Before Bro. Conley left in
1981 he told of his vision of building a round church.
When he left the next pastor seemed to be beset by Satan
and attendance dropped to 13 people. There were healing
ministers after that, however, and later a pastor was
called who challenged the group that if these few people
and this pole-barn building was the church of their
vision not to vote him in because he was coming to build
a church! They did vote him in with a 100% vote and he
came and he did build a new church. The constitution and
by-laws were rewritten, the name was changed to
Sweetwater Assembly of God and plans were drawn to
rebuild. Ground was broken in August, 1987. The present
pastor, Thomas Turner, came in 1993.
Faith Baptist Church on Highway 13 Bypass began as a
Bible class with five families. They met at Pizza King
for Sunday morning worship from the time of their
organization in June, 1975 until July, 1977. Land valued
at $15,000 on Highway 13 was donated. The charter was
closed with 20 members. Later they met at Mom's
Restaurant until it closed, then Timbercrest Chapel,
Petersime Chapel, Peabody Chapel and then a small
building west of town. The building fund made an
incredible growth from $6000 to $247,896 between 1978 to
1986. They had helping support from sister churches
until 1980 and dedicated a modular building that year.
They have built and remodeled since then and all the
costs are fully paid. Their present pastor, Andrew
Gathany, has been here since 1989.
The Christian Fellowship Church on 114 East was founded
as a storefront church on Main Street on April 11,1977,
by Rev. Robert Gidley. They moved to the basement of
Mom's Restaurant (now the Sandwich Cellar) and the
current location was purchased two years later.
Expansion of the sanctuary was completed in 1993. The
church exists to share help along the way and to share
the joy of being born anew. The goal is to make
disciples and their plan is to minister as the body of
Christ.
It is a non-denominational church. The present pastors
are J.P. Freeman and Dale Kelsey. Their average
attendance is 72.
From these histories, it seems clear that churches are
born out of a feeling of need on the part of a person,
or a group of persons. If we were to look at the history
of our town along side of this list of churches some of
the needs would be apparent. Your needs are not always
the same as those of your neighbors, but we all seek to
grow, to find happiness or contentment and to be a part
of something good beyond our selves. Churches try to
fulfill that need. And though you may have been quite
satisfied with a church organized in the early days of
our town, others have needed to search further.
Sometimes people seek new places of worship because they
want a small group to relate to rather than a large
worship setting with many people and fine programming.
With a town of 6000 plus more in the immediate
surroundings there are enough for 400 or 500 people in
each congregation, but that isn't why churches are
formed, nor does everyone go to church.
History is not as complete as we'd like it to be. When
you want to know something specific about a time or
experience, you wish someone had kept better records.
We're grateful for the historical details that have been
kept and to all the pastors and churches that have
helped me with information.
--Rosemary Manifold
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