The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1939-01-05
Many Diverse Faiths
Have FlOurished In
Orange Township
CONTINUED from page II

Continued from page II
situation of the cabin or its size, or
some other reason made it so, does not
seem ito be known.
Union Meetings
These meetings were non-sectarian
and all members of the pioneer COM
munity We're heartily welcomed. The
reason for this early non-sectarianism
was that many different denominations
were represented in the settlers who
came to Orange township from many
widely separated localities.
AS the population of the township
grew, different services were held in
different cabins, and church organiza-
tions of several denominations were
begun under the leadership of various
men. Thus, the first Disciple church
was formed in cabin meetings and ir
the same way, probably, other sects
that flourished in Orange at the pres
ent time.
The next stage in developing tn,
church organizations was when th'
meetings were tranferred to the newl.
built school house. Thus, before 1851
all the services were held either il
cabins or in school houses. In thos'
days school houses were real com
munity centers, housing church ser
vices, literary societies, spelling con
tests and all other social activities o.
the time.
| Circuit Rider Days
In these early days when entertain
ments were rare and visitors rarer, th'
advent of the Circuit rider" was hailet
with great rejoicing, and under hi
leadership many an old time reviva
made the woods ring with song an,
hallelujahs.
The strongest early denomination il
Orange were the Baptists, the Dis
ciples, the Evangelicals and the Unite,
Brethren. According to accounts o
the old pioneers there were numbe
of United Presbyterians, Reformed an
German Lutheran communicates an
these three sects had built earl
churches which were later abandoned
1t is interesting to note, and indee
remarkable, that in township so pre-
dominantly English, there was n
Methodist congregation. This can b
explained by the fact that all the earl
church leaders happened to belong t
some other branch, and that the Meth
odist movement which fiourished be
tween 1880 and 1850 did not reac
those particular localities whence cam
the early settlers.
The present day denominations
classification of Orange is the resu
of the religious training and inclins
tions of the early pio1eers This fact
of major Importance in understandin
the early and later churches.
First Church Was Baptist
| According to the best informatio
available, the first church built
Orange township was the old Baptis
church, a frame structure constructe
between 1850-55. 1t was located tw
miles east of Orange Center, and Nef
| emiah Williams was one of the leader
of the congregation.
| The structure was later torn dow
and a brick church was erected on
mile south under another organization
This church was put up in 1871. |
its tenets it was considerably more Liz
eral than the preceding organization
It was known as the Riley Creek Bar
tist church.
Another old church was the Pisga
church, organized by the United Brett
rem denomination. This was built i
| 1864. Henry Daily and Jacob Musse
had heped to build this church.
More Early Churches
The Salem church, a Reformed cor
gregation, was another of the earlies
churches. 1t was abandoned abou
| sixty years ago, but quite influential
part of the locality. This church ha
English preaching and was not men