  |
THE ANTIOCH CHRISTIAN CHURCH
of Cantrall, Illinois The First Church of Sangamon County, Illinois Organized May 15 1820 By Stephen England |
Pages 153 - 157
This is Page 1 of the 4 pages of Bulletin for 100th Anniversary of Church
__________________________________
__________________________________
(Exact Date of Organization, May 15, 1820)
_________________________________
_________________________________
CANTRALL, ILLINOIS
PAGE 153
| 10 O'Clock Bible School | ||
| Allen Cline, Superintendent | ||
| Lesson, "Israel's First King." | ||
| Text 1, Sann 9: 15-21; 9; 25-20:1 | ||
| Morning | ||
| Call to Worship | No. 55, "Shepherd of Israel" | |
| Invocation - The Lord's Prayer | (In Concert) | |
| Anthem - "The Harvest Fields" | Senior Choir | |
| Prayer | Mr. John Grant | |
| Anthem - "This Joyful Day" | Junior Choir | |
| Reading of Scripture | Rev. Elmer Stackhouse | |
| Song | Cantrall Quartette | |
| The Message | O. C. Bolman, State Evangelist | |
| "The Church and Her Vision" | ||
| Hymn of Invitation, No. 163 | Congregation | |
| Hymn Communion | "Break Thou the Bread of Life" | |
| Lord's Supper | (For all professing Christians) | |
| Hymn No. 188 | "Blessed Be the Tie That Binds" | Congregation |
| Benediction | Rev. John Lemmon | |
| Afternoon, 2 O'clock | ||
| Hymn No. 186� | "America" | Congregation |
| Hymn | (Elderly Members of Congregation) | |
| Reading of Letters from Former Pastors | (Paul Longerbon) | |
| Anthem� | "God Calling Yet" | Senior Choir |
| Reading Church History | Miss Jennie Longerbon | |
| Solo | "Rose, Rose, Rose" | Miss Virginia M. Cerry |
| Anthem� | "His Love is Far Better Than Gold" | Junior Choir |
| Song | Cantrall Quartette | |
| Message | Rev. John Lemmon | |
| The Christian Invitation | ||
| Christian Endeavor, 7 O'Clock | ||
| Subject | "Will a Man Rob God?" | |
| Leader, Mr. Edward Keefner | ||
| Evening Worship, 8 O'clock | ||
| Hymn No. 71 | Congregation | |
| Hymn No. 8 | Congregation | |
| Prayer | Allen Cline | |
| Anthem | "Victory" | Senior Choir |
| Reading of Scripture | ||
| Anthem | "Alone" | Junior Choir |
| Offering | ||
| The Message | Elmer Stackhouse | |
| Life and Work of Stephen England | ||
| Hymn of Invitation, No. 163 | Congregation (Standing) | |
| Benediction |
PAGE 154
| Elders | Deaconesses | ||
| Henry England | Mrs. Allen Cline | ||
| Allen Cline | Mrs. William Mellenger | ||
| William England | Mrs. Elmer Stackhouse | ||
| Elmer Stackhouse | Mrs. John Britten | ||
| Mrs. Henry England | |||
| Trustees | Mrs. Lewis Grubb | ||
| William Mellenger | Mrs. Frank Brown | ||
| John Britten | Mrs. William England | ||
| William England | Mrs. Henry Power | ||
| Mrs. Sarah Mallory | |||
| Deacons | Mrs. Arch Kincade | ||
| William Mellenger | Mrs. William Gillock | ||
| Earl Grant | Mrs. Earl Grant | ||
| Frank Brown | Mrs. Ellis Grant | ||
| Charles England | Mrs. Clarence Dunlap | ||
| William Gillock | |||
| Arch Kincade | |||
| John Britten | |||
| Ellis Grant | |||
| Officers | |||
| William England | Chairman Official Board | ||
| Allen Cline | Clerk | ||
| William England | Financial Secretary | ||
| William Mellenger | Treasurer | ||
| Miss Jennie Longerbon | President C. W. B. M. | ||
| Mrs. Clarence Dunlap | President Ladies Aid | ||
| Paul Longerbon | President Young Peoples' Endeavor | ||
| Mr. J. Y. Taylor | Director Senior Choir | ||
| Mrs. Alkire | Assistant Director Senior Choir | ||
| Miss Marie Cline | Organist | ||
| Mrs. Elmer Stackhouse | Director Junior Choir | ||
| Miss Erma Alkire | Organist | ||
PAGE 155
In the year 1819 a band of pioneers came from Kentucky to Sangamon county and settled on the north side of the Sangamon River. They were religious and God-fearing people and were thirsting for the religious privileges they had enjoyed in Kentucky, their former home.
There was one among their number, Stephen England, who had been a Baptist minister in Kentucky and they persuaded him to preach for them in his own home from Sunday to Sunday.May 15, 1820, Stephen England organized a church. It consisted of nine members, namely: Stephen and Anna England, Jaconiah and Nancy Langaton, Levi and Fanny Cantrall, and Lucy Scott (Mr. England�s daughter.)*
The following agreement was signed by the members:�We, the members of the Church of Christ, being providentally moved from our former place of residence and being baptized on the profession of our faith, meet at the home of Stephen England, on a branch of Higgins Creek, in order to form a constitution, having first given ourselves to the Lord and then to one another, agree that our constitution shall be on the Holy Scriptures, of the Old and New Testament, believing them to be the only rule of faith and practice.�
This was the first church organized in Sangamon County and was known as the �Antioch Christian Church.� It was also numbered among the first churches of its kind in the United States. Statistics show only eight similar organizations at this early date.A home of worship was built on the land owned by Evans Britten opposite Britten cemetery. The building was a log structure, and in this building they worshiped for twenty-seven years.
In 1850, the second house of worship was built at Cantrall, near where the Catholic church now stands.The third or present house of worship was built in 1870** and the name changed to the �Cantrall Christian Church.� Stephen England was the first pastor of the church and served until his death. His last sermon was preached while sitting in a chair, being too feeble to stand.
Officers of the First church-David England was the first officer of the church and served six years. Carlesle Cantebury, Hiram Powell, Levi Cantrall, Uncle Jack Cline and Carlysle Mitt were early and faithful officers.Many great and good men and women have gone forth from this congregation to fields of labor. There are two pastors this church can claim, Uncle John England, who has long gone to his rest. R. E. Dunlap was born and raised in this community and was a member of this church, who afterwards served as its pastor. Brother Dunlap is now in Douglas, Arizona, doing a great work for the Master. This church at this time has one young man (Paul Longerbom), who is preparing for the ministry.
* Adelphia Wood and Mrs. Sarah Cantrall (wife of Wyatt Cantrall and daughter of Stephen England) were also charter members.
** The third church building was erected after 1874-see picture of the second structure in the 1874 Atlas of Sangamon County. The first building was a log structure built in 1823, sometime before Stephen England�s death, which was September 26, 1823.
PAGE 156This church has the honor of having five generations of Stephen England as active members: Stephen England, David England, Henry England, William England, and Nellie England.*
The present membership of the church is 200. The oldest resident member is Henry England, having joined the church in May 31, 1869. Mrs. England joined in February, 1870.
Ministers who have served the church as pastors are as follows: **
| Stephen England | T. M. Jacob | I. J. Sweet | |||
| John Lemmon | John England | R. E. Dunlap | |||
| Steers Hamilton | J. Fred Jones | U. R. Hieronymus | |||
| Sterns | Renfrow | H. B. Easterling | |||
| Batenfield Armstrong | W. W. Weadon | McClease | |||
| Overbaugh | Robinson | L. J. Faullers | |||
| A. E. Underwood | Lewis Fisher | C. R. Piety | |||
| H. T. Kerns | Z. M. Brubeck | Elmer Stackhouse | |||
| A great many of the present membership are descendants of those early disciples and their memory is very dear to us. Let | |||||
| us then on this� One Hundredth Anniversary, arise to a new and continal effort to carry forward the cause of Christ in | |||||
| Cantrall.� Let our watchword be the words of the song, "Move Forward, Move Forward All Along the Line."� Let us pray | |||||
| for God's blessings and guidance in the future was our ancestors did in the past and let all our understanding be for | |||||
| "Christ and His Church." | |||||
* The above 5 generations active in the church in 1920, also includes Dale England, a brother to Nellie. Dale England and his wife, Thela (Pogue) (Beck) England, have furnished most of the Church books we have use in this book. Dale was also a 5 generation in the church from the Canterbury-Grant line:
- Asa Canterbury -- Peggy Hornback
Oliver P. Canterbury -- Elizabeth Council
Maria Canterbury -- John Grant
Pearl Grant -- William P. England
Dale England -- Thela (Pogue)Beck
- Levi Cantrall -- Fannie England
Levi Cantrall, Jr. -- Elizabeth C. King
Alfred Newton Cantrall -- Alice Mathews
Marjorie May Cantrall -- Clair Canterbury
Alice Canterbury -- Lyman Young
- Asa Canterbury -- Peggy Hornback
Oliver P. Canterbury -- Elizabeth Council
John Canterbury -- Esther Elizabeth (Libby) Fisk
Clair Canterbury -- Marjorie May Cantrall
Alice E. Canterbury -- Lyman Young
PAGE 157
Sangamon Index
This resource page can be used by reseachers in their quest for their family history
but cannot be reproduced in any format for profit. �2008