The Church of Christ, worshiping in Fairland, Shelby County Indiana was organized under the auspices of the Indiana Christian Cooperation, by Walter S. Smith, Evangelist of District No. 18, on Lordsday, October 26, 1890, at three (3) o’clock, P.M. The evangelist was assisted by his brother, J. Carey Smith of the First Christian Church in the city of Chicago.
These two ministers came in and began work on Tuesday Oct. 21, 1890, in the old brick School Building, which had been supplied with temporary seats & furnished with a stove & a half-dozen coal-oil lamps. A pulpit was extemporized from a dry goods box, and John N. Smith furnished an organ. George Markland made the seats, & the evangelist brought a supply of singing books. The New Christian Hymn & Book, Parts II & III.
The first sermon preached by Smith was on "The Heart & the Issues of Life." Prov. IV:23. The house was well filled, and the address elicited faultless attention. This discourse was followed by others on "The Heart: When right? How Changed? How related to the State", 2d Kings, X:15, on Wednesday nt Heresy, Acts XXIV:14, Thursday nt "The Kingdom of Heaven to be Sought First" Matt.VI:33, Friday night and The Dominion of Christ, Isaiah LX:22, on Saturday night. These & the Sermon on Lordsday morning were all preparatory toward the organization; for such had been announced as the order of the day on the 26th. After a discourse on that subject from I. Corinthians XIV:4 an adjournment was ordered to the hour of 2:30, P.M. At that hour the Evangelist read the Letter of Paul to Titus, and after songs & prayer, called for the names of such as would endorse the following simple compact:
Fairland Indiana Oct. 26, 1890.
"We the undersigned, agree to become members of an organization to be called The Church of Christ located for worship in this village, adoptive for our government the New Testament, and agreeing to abide by its instructions in matter of faith and practice."
To this instrument were promptly affixed the following signatures:
(Here arranged alphabetically for convenience)
Mrs. Lida Biship,
George Markland
William Combs
Sarah E. Markland
Susan J. Combs
Dessie Markland
John Davis
Benjamin Millner
Mary Lesley
Gideon Oldham
James McCollum
James Parkhurst
S. Robertson
Mrs. Mary Stewart
John K. Smith
Miss Mape Stewart
and John R. Tomlinson.
The above list constitutes the full charter membership; that is, those who were fellowshiped by the Evangelists & constituted the body who extended such fellowship to others who were later added. It is however agreed that all who are added in the progress of the first meeting shall be regarded as charger members. A list of them is hereunto subjoined.
The following brethren & sister were chosen in the organization to serve as officers.
Elders: John K. Smith and S. Robertson.
Deacons: Gideon Oldham, J.W. Parkhurst & Sister Sarah E. Markland
Trustees: Jas. McCollum, Benj. Milner & J. R. Tomlinson
Housekeeper: William Combs
To this list, the name of Samuel J. Tomlinson was afterward added as Elder, and Alonzo Douthit was added to the body of Deacons. So also the name of Melinda Heaston was added to the Charger Membership, by special consent.
The meeting, thus begun on the 21st of October continued with two breaks of two days each, for seven weeks; enjoying part of the time the valuable services of Samuel J. Tomlinson & his brother Isaac, whose preaching & other services added much to the interest and value of the meeting. The attendance was fine most of the time, and attention good. The entire ingathering reached 108, in number. The following is the remaining portion of the list of
