First   Methodist  Episcopal  Church
 of  Shelbyville


The  Shelbyville  Republican
 Vol XLVIII-Number 75,
28 March 1929
Section Two, page 1
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[Includes a large picture of the new Methodist Building.]
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          There is something in a name, even if a rose by any other appellation would smell as sweet.  Junior does not mean that the baby boy given that name will always be junior.  There may be another baby boy in the family. The fact that a rose is a rose has nothing to do with its aroma.  The building committee of the First M.E. Church did well in naming the five story and basement building located the the northwest corner of the Public Square and Washington street "First Methodist Building".  The name at once associates it directly with the owner, a commercial consideration of value.
          But suppose, just for supposition, that this building had been named "The Progress," with the thought that progression means a moving on or going forward. Most certainly all will agree that this modern and model business structure does mark the progress of the commercial life of Shelbyville.  That the city required this building is evidenced by the fact of its unusual occupancy, every floor of the edifice being occupied practically before it is fully finished.  If the city was not standing in need of this building, it would not be tenanted as it is.  It does, in a splendid manner, mark the progress of Shelbyville, the splendid strides the city is making, the growth of the trade territory, the spread of the rim of the city, indicative of the increase in population. In architectural beauty, for cities of this class, this building virtually stands in a class by itself.  Truly the designers, as well as the owners of the building, have every reason to be self-satisfied. It stands as a monument, not alone to building progress, but also to progressive thinking.  No attempt will be made here at description.  Every tenant is pleased to have you call and inspect its many floors at your pleasure, as well as your leisure.  There will be many surprises waiting for all. Who the architects are, who the builder is, who the occupants are, is all set forth on other pages of this paper.
          The owner, the First Methodist Episcopal church, has added to the beauty of the business district of the city beyond compare. Give all the honor to whom honor is due. There is no doubt as to future success of this enterprise. The church is destined to go on, to live and to prosper. That other improvements will follow in good time there can be no question. The church owns the ground from the Public Square, running west along Washington street to the first alley, and then all the ground running west from the alley to the city building ground that lies between Washington street and Franklin street. This tract of land is one of the most valuable in Shelbyville. Recently desirable financial condition was the aid that was the prominent factor in the determination to proceed with Shelbyville's first skyscraper.
          The word progress is one that can be played with, over-exaggerated, even made ludicrous, but in this instance the word conveys the practically constant growth of this church in Shelbyville. If one went to the history of the church it would be ascertained that it was founded in the year 1825, and has continued to this day.  Previous to that time class meetings were held and a Sunday school was organized in a log cabin that stood on a part of the ground now occupied by the Hotel Shelby.  The members of this school were few, for the reason that the settlement consisted of but a few scattered cabins, but it was a start that has continued without an intermission.  As this recital has to do with the First Methodist Buidding, the pages will be turned back for the purpose of reaching the foundation facts.
          All citizens know that Shelby county was organized on the Fourth of July, 1822, and the straggling settlement of log houses was declared the county seat and named Shelbyville.  The original plan of Shelbyville extended from Jackson to Franklin street, with lots on Harrison street extending to Broadway on the south and from Franklin street to Mechanic street on the north, but neither Broadway or Mechanic streets were included in the original town site.  The lot on the northwest corner of the Public Square and Washington street was Lot No. one. Abel Cole was appointed by the board of county commissioners as county agent to sell the lots in the original town plat.  On Decmeber sixth, 1825, Mr. Cole, acting for the county, sold to John M. Young this lot No. 1.  In making this notation it is interpolated that previous to this last date, Mr. Young entered a tract of land from the government of 160 acres, the west boundary line of which is the present west boundary line of the county fair grounds, and that it was Mr. Young who sold the present fair grounds, containing forty acres, to the Shelby County Fair Association.
          The First Methodist Episcopal church now comes into the picture.  Mr. Young was a very devout Methodist, believed in shouting and did so when he was so moved.  On June 15, 1850, Mr. Young deeded to the trustees of the First Methodist church and to their assigness, sixty feet of Lot No. 1, from the alley on the west side of the lot and running north ninety-nine feet, providing to the church a building site sixty feet by ninety-nine feet, as it stands today.  The consideration Mr. Young received for this ground was "one dollar in hand paid receipt of which is hereby acknowledged."  The trustees to whom the ground was deeded were William Little, Milton Robins, John S. Campbell, Isaac Sorden and William Brown. William Little was a plasterer and the grandfather of  W.L. Little, the tailor.  Milton Robins was a practicing physician, a druggist, and was the grandfather of  Mrs. Charles Birely, Milton Senour, and Mrs. John Day DePrez.  John S. Campbell, at one time served as postmaster of Shelbyville.  If he has relatives here they are not known. Isaac Sorden was a pioneer merchant, his store being in a little brick building on the ground now occupied by the Homestead Building & Loan Association on the north side of the Public Mrs. George Wright, of Miller and Washington streets is his last survivor.  William Brown was a tinner.  He was an uncle of Walter E. Brown, of West Mechanic street.  No transfer of this ground was ever made after it was deeded to these men for the First Methodist Episcopal church.
          There is no record when the first church building was erected on this ground and there is no picture of it that can be found.  There are positive reasons for the opinion that the first building was erected very soon after the acquisition of the ground.  The description that follows is a mere recollection.  In Southern Indiana there are many church buildings in outside appearance, that compare very favorably with the edifice in mind.
          It stood flush with the alley and well back from the gravel sidewalk.  There was a high paling fence in front, with double gates as wide as the double doors of the church.  The fence was built along the alley to the corner of the church building.  From the gates a gravel walk extended to the church entrance, this being flanked on either side by wide, heavy timbers to hold the gravel in place.  On either side of this walk, well back in the yeard, stood a very large silver poplar tree, they being as white as the sycamores in the river bottoms.
          Entering the church there was a stairway on either side leading to the main auditorium.  A hallway extended back to a Sunday school room, this being flanked on either side by two rooms known as "class rooms," each of these classes having a leader, all members of thechurch being assigned to one of these classes.  This original church building did not extend to the north side of the lot in consequence of which there was a "backyard." The building, then, as now, was as wide as the lot. The Sunday school room, by comparison, was quaint.  The pews were hand made and painted yellow.  Through this room was a number of wood columns to support the floor of the auditorium above.  The windows along the alley were small and had no weights.
          The stairways leading up stairs landed in a lobby in exactly the same manner as the present edifice.  To enter the auditorium there were two doors, just as there are now.  In the south end of the auditorium there was a small gallery, but no side galleries, while the pulpit was in the north end. there are now.  In the middle of the aisle, immediately in front of the pulpit, there were four pews reserved for the choir the end of these pews was painted in white the word "choir."  No musical instruments of any kind were used at this time.  The minister "lined" the humns, the choir leading, the congregation joining in the singing. here was no carpet on the floor, other than the aisles.  As quaint as that old church building, by comparison seems, it was as good as any in Shelbyville.
          Picturing this old church building, purely by remembrance, it is probable that the word "progress" can now be appropriately used.  Up stairs and down the church was lighted by kerosene lamps, while during the winter months it was warmed on Sundays by cast iron box stoves, the only fuel being large sticks of wood.  During the services the janitor, as the fires burned low, would go from stove to stove, there being four of them, filling the stoves with wood that was stacked in the open space about them.  This did not disturb the preacher or the congregation in the least, as it was the custom.  Lamp chimneys head to be kept clean and the lamps filled.  During the services if a lamp smoked, it was taken down and the blaze extinguished. This was a very frequent occurrence.
          What this church looked like is very deeply impressed on the memory of the writer.  Many reminiscent stories could be related, but they would be of interest only to the few.  The manner of taking the collection may contain a modicum of curiosity. To do this the two stewards, as first remembered, they being Judge Cyrus Wright and James M. Barwick, passed along the aisles carrying long, round, black walnut poles, to one end of which was attached black velvet bags.  Maniuplating these poles dexteriously, the bags were pushed along in front of the occupants of the pews, they dropping in their contributions, which at this particular time was all in currency, there being no silver in circulation, and there was no envelope system as now.  This story could be prolonged almost indefinitely, reciting many incidents, many names of the members, as well as the "storm" that was created when the first little organ was brought into the church.  Ardent and faithful members, in those days, called a fiddle, "the instrument of the devil."  This old remodeled, then taken down and the present splendid building erected.
          Several years ago the trustees for the church purchased the east half of Lot No. 1, on which the present stately commercial building stands, and then later bought the ground that extends to the city building.
          There are very many who have a vision that in the future the old Thatcher residence, once the pride of the town, will be taken down and on that ground a new First M.E. church erected, one that will reflect in every respect modern church building. By that time the present church can be taken down to make room for an annex to the building just now being completed.  This church can make this dream come true for the reason the commercial building will be paid for, thus creating a splendid source of revenue.
Submitted by Phyllis Miller Fleming


The  Shelbyville  Democrat
 Tuesday, December 16, 1919
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"GROWN-UP  LADIES  WELCOME  OLD  SANTA"
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QUEEN  ESTHERS  OF  FIRST  M. E. CHURCH
ENJOYED  AN  EVENING  OF  FUN.
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          Mrs. Taylor Gordon,  Mrs. Ed Comstock,  Misses Nell Schroeder,  Grace McGuire  and  Mollie Jones  were hostesses last evening for the Queen Esthers of the First M. e. church.  Miss McGuire, as spokeswoman, requested all the happy crowd to forget their age and enjoy an evening of fun as they did when children.
          Following this request the lights were turned out and Old Stanta[sic] entered the room and beckoned the crowd to follow him to the Sunday school room, where the old gentleman (some said it was Mrs. Ed Comstock) presented every one present with a gift taken from a beautifully illuminated Christmas tree.  A girl's name was written on each package and every member found her maiden name.  The effect was wonderful.  The ladies really enjoyed the affair as they did when Santa Claus was a reality to them.
          Following the distribution of the gifts, Mr. and Mrs. Chris Kingle[sic] left and the lights were turned on.  The members then enjoyed a Christmas plum pudding served by the businesses.  Following the feast, final arrangements for the Christmas entertainment were made.
Copied by Phyllis Miller Fleming


The  Shelbyville  Republican
 October 27, 1917
Page 1
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RECEPTION  GIVEN  FOR  M. E. CHURCH  PASTOR
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DR. A. H. PITKIN  AND  FAMILY
GUESTS  OF  HONOR
AT  RECEPTION  AT  CHURCH  FRIDAY ---
SHORT  PROGRAM  RENDERED.
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          Three hundred members of the First M. E. church, and members of the congregation, attended the reception given in the church parlors Friday night in honor of Dr. A. H. Pitkin, who was recently assigned to the pastorate on the Shelbyville church.
          The reception was an enjoyable affair for Dr. Pitkin and family and for the members of his congregation.  An interesting program had been arranged by a committee of which  Mrs. Thomas Webster was chairman.  Vocal numbers were given by Miss Marie Thompson and by a ladies' quartet composed of  Mrs. Charles A. Tindall,  Miss Nora Jones,  Mrs. Thomas Stewart and  Mrs. Fannie Powell.  Isaac Carter made an address of welcome. to which Dr. Pitkin responded.
          Following the program there was a social hour, during which refreshments were served.
Submitted by Phyllis Miller Fleming, Feb 2001


The  Shelbyville  Democrat
March 31, 1916
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BISHOP  F. D. LEETE
TO  BE  HERE  SUNDAY
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Will Speak At The First M.E.
Church In The Morning On
“The New South.”
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          Dr. W. F. Wykoff, pastor of the First M.E. Church, received a telegram late this morning stating that Bishop F. D. Leete, of Atlanta, Ga., would be here Sunday morning and speak at the First M.E. Church at the regular morning worship hour – 10:30 o’clock.
          Bishop Leete is one of the youngest bishops in the Methodist church, having been elected a bishop and appointed to his present charge at the last general conference, held in 1912.  His Episcopal jurisdiction extends over four or five of the southern states and he is reported as one of the most popular men in the south.
          His subject here Sunday morning will be “The New South.”  Mr. Leete is a man with a vision and he has a message well worth hearing.  All are cordially invited to the morning service at the First church.
Contributed by Linda Allen


The  Shelbyville  Republican
 Friday, October, 22, 1909.
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          The meetings at the M. E. church will continue over Sunday.  Come hear  Rev. Scull  of Shelbyville, and  Rev. Guthrie  of Waldron, on Thursday and Friday nights.
Submitted by Phyllis Miller Fleming


The  Indianapolis  Sunday  Star
September 13, 1908
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PREPARES  FOR  MINISTERS
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SHELBYVILLE  TO  GREET  500
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First  Methodist  Church,  In  Which
Conference  Will  Open  Tuesday,
Shows  Steady  Advance.
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          SHELBYVILLE, Ind.,  Sept. 12. -- Several hundred people who are prominent in the Methodist Church will be here nest week, beginning Tuesday evening, when the Indiana Methodist conference meets.  The sessions will be held in the First M. E. Church.  the Rev. George M. Smith, pastor of the church, has completed arrangements for the 500 guests who will be entertained during the conference week.
          The last conference of this denomination held in this city was in 1894, when the old Southeast Indiana Conference was in existence, that being the last year that conference met.
          The following year there were two conferences united and they have since been known as the Indiana Methodist Conference.  When the sessions were held here fourteen years ago the  Rev. C. C. Edwards, superintendent of the Mccrea Hill District, was pastor of the local church.
          Since then the church has been remodeled.  All of this work was done during the pastorate of the  Rev. J. W. Duncan, in 1900.  The Rev. Mr. Duncan is superintendent of the Evansville district with headquarters in Evansville.  The remodeling of the church showed an expenditure of $20,000.
          The present pastor of the church, the Rev. Mr. Smith,  will, it is expected be recalled to the pastorate.
          In membership the First Methodist Church is one of the strongest, if not the strongest, in the district.  As to wealth it ranks along at the head of the churches in Methodism in both home and foreign offerings.
          The Rev. Frederick P. Sigler, pastor of one of the large M. E. churches in Los Angeles, Cal., and a member of the Southern California Methodist Conference, has been secured by the official board of the First M. E. Church of this city to be present during conference week.  The Rev. Mr. Sigler will, at 4 o'clock each afternoon during the week, deliver an address or "Tithing."
Contributed by Virginia Curulla


The  Shelbyville  Daily  Democrat
 Thursday, February 22, 1906
Page 1
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Union  Missionary  Meeting.
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          The annual Day of Prayer for Missions, which is appointed by the Mission Boards of the different denominations, will be observed in this city by a union meeting at the First M. E. church on Friday afternoon, Feb. 23, at 2:30 o'clock.  Members of various churches will have places on the program.
          Choice music will be rendered by a quartet of mixed voices and a so- [my copy ends here].
Contributed by Phyllis Miller Fleming


The  Shelby  Republican
 Tuesday, February 13, 1906.
Page 1
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            The ladies reception of the First M. E. church will meet with  Mrs. R. M. Floyd  and  Mrs. Martha Louch  at their home, 84 west Hendricks street, tomorrow afternoon at 2:30 o'clock.  A cordial invitation is extended to ladies of the church and strangers in the city to attend.
Contributed by Phyllis Miller Fleming


The  Shelby  Democrat
 December 31, 1903
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          The men of the First M. E. church will hold open house in the church parlors Friday evening between the hours of seven and ten.  There will be music and an abundance of good things to eat.  The affair is to be entirely informal and every one is cordially invited to call during the evening.
Copied by Phyllis Miller Fleming


The  Shelbyville  Daily  Democrat
Monday, February 1, 1886
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          Services at the Methodist Church every night this week.
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          Six persons united with Methodist Church last night.
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          Mr. S. J. Thompson  was over from Lebanon, Ind., yesterday, and resigned his position as superintendent of the M. E. Sunday School here.
Contributed by Phyllis Miller Fleming


The  Shelby  Democrat
 February 13, 1879
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PULPIT POINTS.
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METHODIST EPISCOPAL.
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          At the beginning of the service last Sabbath morning at the First M.E. Church, Rev. Dr. Curtiss announced that he would baptize a number of children if their parents would bring them forward; upon which announcement the following were presented and received the ordinance:  Ida May Bennett;  Harry,  Lulie,  William and  Mrs. Lavina Rodden; and  Cora and  Mary Wright.  Miss Lou Enos and Master Eddie Young were at the same time received into full connection.  At the conclusion of this service, the minister read as his text the following:
          "For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men, after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called.   But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise:  and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the world and things which are despised hath God chosen, yea, and t hings which are not, to bring to naught things that are.  That no flesh should glory in His presence." --- I Cor., 1:26-29
          There are problems in God's word which are sometimes too great for our faith to grasp.  Man would have selected greater agencies than those which Jesus Christ employed to convey the truths which he desired to teach his followers.  The Apostle shows here that God took the best means to make clear the truths which He was to teach.  The Savior took the least things to teach these truths, and it is to this fact that the Apostle refers.  The forces which the Savior put into the world to accomplish the work which he hath for them to do, were the common-place, the little and silent forces with which we meet in every-day life.
          As we look back over the history of our nation, we see that the forces employed

DURING THE GREAT REBELLION

which accomplished the most were the small forces, and these accomplished more, and did more to bring our country back again to peace than the great Columbiads.  The forces chosen by God to do His will are called weak things by the world, but are made strong by God to confound the mighty, as the Apostle says.  When he spoke of the law of Moses, he showed that it was unable to save mankind; and that only the doctrine of Jesus Christ could save the world as it was taught by Him.  God seldom calls those who are rich, but usually the poor to preach His Gospel. &nbspIn my acquaintance with the ministers in our own church, I know of but one man who was rich when called the ministry.  These poor people represent the weak things which God has chosen to confound the mighty.  They are mighty from the fact that they can, and do, go out, and confound the mighty things of this world.  That word "confound" presents this thought:  All the venom of the world shall fall on the armor of God's servants and be harmless. * * *
          I once stood with other upon a high rock

A HUNDRED FEET ABOVE THE SEA,

as the billows rolled in with great fury, and dashed at the foot of the rock below us, yet we were not harmed, for our feet were surely fixed on the firm foundation, and we were safe.
          How true it is that the despised Nazarene has marched out to the ages, and is conquering the world.  As he started out on his mission the world gave back before him, and the work of God was glorious.  He has given the preaching of His word a wonderful success.  Sometimes Paul grew weak in his work, and yet e was at all times able to labor successfully for God.  I love to read of Luther, at the Diet of Worms, surrounded by a mob who were waiting to take his life in all the great throng, only one man was found to speak a kind word to him.  Think of David with his shepherd's sling, and yet with that sling and a small stone, he was

ABLE TO SLAY THE MIGHTY GIANT.

The simple question addressed to Col. Ethan Allen by his dying daughter, as to whose belief she should adopt --- his or her mother's?  He told her to follow the God of her mother.  Ah, that was the time when the weak confounded the mighty.  Behold the Wesley --- with a hand as tender as a woman, and yet making a nation tremble with his eloquence and power.  God chooses the weak things on purpose to confound the mighty.  It is the penny that may bring salvation to the dying soul.  When the Great Eastern was launched, it was a little boy who gave the final push that was necessary to launch it out upon the breast of the water.  Out

IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS

there is a place where the passing breeze may turn the rain drop in either direction, though it be but the space of less than an inch which decides into which ocean it shall run.
          Have you been trifling with little opportunities?  Oh, don't do it any more.  Let every man and woman in the church resolve to use all the power they have to the glory of God.

METHODISM  IN  SHELBYVILLE
(--OR--)
A history of the origin and growth of the Methodist Episcopal
Church in Shelbyville, Indiana from 1823 to 1878.
by Rev. Geo. L. Curtiss D.D.
Pastor from 1876 to 1878
Please click here  to read Rev. Curtiss' excellent history.
A full name  index  follows the publication.


The  Shelby  Republican
Shelbyville, Indiana
December 19, 1878
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          The M. E. Sunday School will have a full-rigged ship on exhibition at the Church during Christmas day.  It will be finely decoreated, adorned and loaded with beautiful and valuable presents.   The room will be darkened during the day and the ship with its burden, will be exhibited by gas light.  The presents will be distributed Christmas night.  An admission of 10 cts will be charged.
Copied by Phyllis Miller Fleming


Methodism in Shelbyville, written about 1880 by George L. Curtiss, covering the years 1823-1878.
Pages 56-61 are specifically about the Sunday School of the First Methodist Church of Shelbyville.


The  Shelbyville  Republican
Thursday, December 12, 1872

          Rev. J. H. Stallard, formerly of the city, preached at the M.E. church last evening.

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          A series of very interesting meetings have been in progress at the M.E. Church in this city, during the last two weeks.  So far, there have been but few accessions to the Church, but all the members seem to have had their spiritual strength renewed.
Submitted by Phyllis Miller Fleming


The  Shelby  Union  Banner
 June 16, 1864
Page 3, column 1
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          The members of the M. E. Church of this city have set about repairing their church in earnest.  We understand that they have raised two thousand dollars, to be expended in putting a new roof on the building, and in other repairs outside and in.  The repairs are much needed, and it is displaying the right spirit, in these hard times, for the members to come up so liberally.
Submitted by Phyllis Miller Fleming


The  Volunteer.
 Shelbyville, Ind.
February 5, 1863
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          The Revival at the Methodist Church in this city is still progressing with happy results, this being the fourth week of its duration.  Thus far we believe about sixty or upwards have united themselves with the Church on probation, and the number is still increasing.  Reformation is greatly needed in this city.
Copied by Phyllis Miller Fleming


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