The Illinois free trader. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1840-1841, 1840-06-19

served with religious conservation. The
people were accustomed TO assemble, sing
HYMNS, and read a portion of scripture or
sctmon. No one ventnred to offer
PRAYER.
In l77s. James Smith, Baptist preach
er from kentucky, whose captivity with
the Indians has been narrated, visited the
settlement and preached TO the people.
The influence Of the divine Spirit descen-
ded, and some were converted. This
was the first protestant preaching, and
these were the first converts, and this the
first revival Of religion, ever known on the
banks Of the father of waters
In 1900, Smith made his third visit to
the country, preached scverrl times, and
other persons become anxious about their
souls, amongst whom was the woman
who was murdered when she was captur-
ed. Owing to the unsettled state of the
country, it was not deemed expedient to
organize a church. Amongst the converts
made under the preaching of Smith, were
Joseph Oglc and some of his children,
James Lemen, SEN, their wives and 9th
crs.
In 1893, Joseph Lllard, a Methodist
prescher, made a visit to the country, and
attended several meetings Several the
families embraced Methodist principles
The succeeding year, Josiah Dodge, a
regular Baptist preacher, originally from
Connecticut, but then from kentucky,
visited Illinois, and preached the gospel
with some success. The next year he
returned and baptized James Lcmen, sen.
and wife, john Gibbons and Isaac Enochs.
| This was the first instance of the ordi.
nance of baptism being administered by
protestant in these G. is of the earth.
During the same year, l796, elder David
Badgley from Virginia, visited Illinois,
and organised the Baptist Church at New
Design, which was the first regularly or
ganlzed protestant community.
1t is worthy of note. that the descend
ants OF those early settlers whose attention
was turned to religion, and for whom the
Lord spread a table in the wilderness, are
now worthy and respectable members of
christian churches. A large majority of
the Moores, Lemons and OgIes, are of
this description.
In few years, preachers Of the gospel
were raised up in the country, many Of
whom are now alive; and notwithstanding
the difficulties they had to surmount, and
the privatlons to endure, they have been
instrumental in doing much good. in
those days, that minister's library was
thought to be well supplied, that contain
ed acomplete copy of the Holy Scriptures,
copy of Watts Psalms and Hymns, and
Russell's seven Sermons. There were
preachers then, who taught the people in
the best manor they were able, without
the power of obtaining achole copy of
the Word of God;
The opportunity of these pioneers to
educate their children was extremely small.
If the mother could read, while the father
was employed in the cornGeld, or with
his rifle npon the range, she would
barricade the door to keep off the Indians,
gather her little ones around her, and by
the light that came in from the crevces in
the roof and sides of the cabin, she would
teach them the rudiments of spelling from
the fragments Of some old book. After
schools were taught, the price of a rough
and antiquated copy of Dilworth's spell
ing book was one dollar, and that dollar
equal in value TO fire now.
The first school ever taught for the
American settlers, was by Samuel Seely,
in 1888. Francis Clark, an Incorporate
man, came next This was near Belle
in 1875. After this, an molten
svc Irishman of small attainments, by
the name of Halfpenny, was employed by
the people for several quarters. Spelling,
reading, writing, and the elements of ar,h-
metic, were all the branches attempted TO
be taught, and these in a very imperfect
The year 1897 was distinguished for
mortal sickness that prevailed in the set
clement of New Design. A colony of one
hundred and twenty-six persons, left the
south branch of the Potomac, in Virginia,
eatly in the spring, descended the Ohio
by water, landed at Fort Massac, bringing
their horses and Wagons, with which
they crossed the wilderness to NewDesign.
The season proved uncommonly rainy;
the mud was excessively deep, and fire.
quently for miles in extent, they were
obliued 10 wade through sheets of water.