Missionary Baptist Church
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Chadwick's History of Shelby Co., Ind. 157
THE BAPTIST DENOMINATION IN SHELBY COUNTY
"With the numerous religious denominations within Shelby county, the Baptists have from an early day been very strong, and have organized and kept alive many churches.
The Missionary Baptist church was organized in the spring of 1823. From the pen of Rev. John Reece, the author here takes the liberty to copy what he said many years ago concerning this denomination:
In the settling of Shelby county, persons came from different sections, some from one state and some from another. As they came they settled in neighborhoods. One of these settlements was northeast of Edinburg and among their number were a few Baptists. In their new homes, rude as they were, they longed for Gospel privileges. Hence in this little neighborhood the few Christians met alternately at their houses and held prayer meetings, until in the spring of 1823, when nine persons, viz.: Thomas Russell, Polly Russell, William Barnet, Nancy Barnet, Lewis Bishop, Elizabeth Bishop, Simon Shafer and Merit McGuire were organized on the first day of March into the Missionary Baptist church. They held meetings until 1826, at various houses, then built a hewed log building in the edge of Johnson county. Here they worshiped until 1832 when a frame house was constructed on the same lot. In 1843 this house was destroyed by fire, and the church immediately commenced to build a third house one mile to the northeast and in Shelby county, at a cost of $1,200.
Of the constituent members it may truthfully be said that they were true and faithful Christians. The first pastor was Rev. John Barnet, sustaining that relation until 1825, a very Godly, earnest preacher. he was succeeded by Rev. Samuel Harding, who served until his death in 1835. Subsequent pastors were: T. C. Townsand, A. R. Hinkley, B. Reece, A. P. Titton, and S. G. Miner, all pioneer ministers who[se] names should not be forgotten by later generations. Rev. Samuel harding was among the men sent out to found Franklin College, in Johnson county. He also formed the Second Mount Pleasant church.
[At this point, Chadwick moves to a discussion of the Mount Pisgah Baptist Church-pmf]
Chadwick's History of Shelby County, Indiana, by Edward H. Chadwick, B.A., assisted by
well known local talent, B.F. Bowen & Co, Publishers: Indianapolis, IN, 1909, page 157.Submitted by Marita S. Bolson
