Historical Facts Presented and False Claims Refuted, Regarding Some Early Baptist Churches in Illinois

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"It is a well known fact that there are two bodies of Baptists in Southern Illinois, differing materially both in doctrine and practice, and both claiming to be the legal successors to the Apostolic, and descendants from the Waldensian, Baptists. It is evident that both these bodies cannot be in that succession." - page 11. "Having given the history in relation to the division of both Muddy River and Bethel Associations, we think the records show very clearly that the Regular Baptists are the only legal descendants from the Ancient Baptists, seeing they have retained the original abstracts of principles and adhered strictly to the doctrine and practice of the Apostles. The records also show that the United Baptists stand as the excluded party; their articles of faith show that they repudiate the original ones; their many human inventions, such as Sunday Schools, Bible Societies, Missionary Societies, etc., show that they are not content with the Bible alone as their only rule of faith and practice." - A History of the Regular Baptists Principally of Southern Illinois, by Elder Achilles Coffey, pages 76-77.

HARDIN COUNTY, ILLINOIS
Refutation of the claim that the "First Baptist Church of Elizabethtown" is a continuation of the old Big Creek Church

SALINE COUNTY, ILLINOIS
Refutation of Missionary Baptist claims regarding "Bankston's Fork Church" and Elder Wilson Henderson; Comments on the history of Brushy Fork Church by Elder T. Leo Dodd; and a reply to an article in the Harrisburg Illinois newspaper regarding Brushy Fork Church
Historical information regarding Wolf Creek Church at Eldorado, Illinois

JEFFERSON COUNTY, ILLINOIS
Refutation of the claim that "Lowry Hill" Church was formed in 1877 by members dismissed from the Sugar Camp Creek Missionary Baptist Church

FRANKLIN COUNTY, ILLINOIS
East Fork "Pleasant Grove" Missionary Baptist Church was formed by members excluded from the old East Fork Church, which continued as a Primitive Baptist Church.
Middle Fork of Muddy River Church, organized in 1818/1819, takes action against the modern mission system.
Mt. Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church began as a Primitive Baptist Church.

HAMILTON COUNTY, ILLINOIS
Ten Mile Missionary Baptist Church began as a Primitive Baptist Church in 1820.

WILLIAMSON COUNTY, ILLINOIS
In 1839 Bethlehem Church, near Marion, in the Bethel Association, excluded a small minority of members, who formed a Missionary Baptist Church which became part of the Franklin Association.

PERRY COUNTY, ILLINOIS
Nine Mile Church divided over the modern mission system, and the Primitive Baptist Church there continued for well over a hundred years.

BOND COUNTY, ILLINOIS
Refutation of the claim that the Smith's Grove Missionary Baptist Church is a continuation of the old Shoal Creek Church

ST. CLAIR COUNTY, ILLINOIS
Richland Creek Church, and a few words about the true cause of the division with those who called themselves Emancipation Baptists

MONROE COUNTY, ILLINOIS
Refutation of Missionary Baptist claims regarding New Design Church, the first Baptist Church in Illinois

SCHUYLER COUNTY, ILLINOIS
Certificates written at the time of the division of Crane Creek Church near Rushville, Illinois

SANGAMON COUNTY
Richland Church, near Pleasant Plains, in Sangamon County, Illinois
Spring Creek Church, Gardner township, Sangamon County, Illinois
Springfield Church, Seventh & Adams Streets, in Springfield, Sangamon County, Illinois

CHURCHES ORGANIZED BY THE PRIMITIVE BAPTISTS BEFORE THE MISSION SYSTEM WAS INTRODUCED (IN 1830 THERE WERE ONLY FOUR CHURCHES IN ILLINOIS WHICH WERE WHAT MIGHT BE TERMED MISSIONARY CHURCHES.)
Primitive Baptist Churches Organized in Illinois from 1796 to 1840

SOME EFFECTS OF THE INTRODUCTION OF THE MODERN MISSION SYSTEM
Early Churches in Illinois which were divided, lost members, or departed completely from the faith, as a result of the introduction of the modern mission system

BETHEL ASSOCIATION
An examination of the comments made by Missionary Baptist historians regarding the Bethel Association

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