The following is a list of the pastors since 1851, viz: Joseph Devlin, Joseph S. Todd, A. E. Sears, Blackwell, W. E. Dockery, Wm. Penn (assistant), J. W. Mattox, William Sutton, Daniel Penny, Samuel Alexander, G. Tanquary, William Jordan, James A. Spencer, R. N. T. Holliday, C. Babcock and J. L. Meffert.

New Hope Methodist Church has at present one hundred and four members, and is in a healthy condition, morally and materially.

GROVE CHAPEL, M. E. CHURCH SOUTH,

was organized May 2, 1859. The building is a frame, cost six hundred dollars, and is located in Grape Grove township.

Original members:-John Brown, Matilda Brown, Caleb Brown, Martha Brown, W. D. Fortune, Mary Fortune, Sally Brown, Perry Brown, Turner Elder, Polly Elder, Elizabeth Elder, D. C. Noffsinger, Mary C. Noffsinger, Fanny Noffsinger, John Noffsinger, Warren Hayes, Virginia Hayes, Allen Charlton, Narcissa Charlton, Eppa Holder, Mrs. -— Holder, William Holder, Austin Harlow, Susan Harlow, Martin Elder, Mrs. Water, Allen Rathburn, Mrs. Rathburn, Enoch Rathburn, Elizabeth Rathburn, Conrad Oester, Reverend Samuel Grove, Paulina Grove, Margaret Grove, J. A. Divelbiss, Julia Divelbiss, Samuel Davis, Dennis, and Lucinda Davis.

WAKANDA CHURCH, GERMAN BAPTIST.

Organized about 1866.

Names of original members:-John Vantromp and wife, and Joel Spitzer and wife.

The church house-a frame-was erected in 1871, cost one thousand dollars, and is situated near Crooked river, in Crooked River township— extreme northern part.

Reverend John Hayes was the pastor.

S. B. Shirkey, Eli Metts, and Addison Harper are the present ministers.

PLEASANT VIEW CHURCH, CHRISTIAN.

Prior to 1866 there was no organization of the Christian Church in Polk township, although a number of persons in that township held fellowship with Christian congregations at Richmond and elsewhere, in adjoining counties.

About the 1st of August, 1866, Elder John C. Lawson, a carpenter, as well as preacher, and at that time plying the former vocation in the neighborhood of the present site of Pleasant View, commenced a basket meeting in a beautiful grove in William Crowley's pasture, and continued the same nearly a fortnight. The result was several confessions and immersions. Great interest was awakened; and, at the close of the meeting, partial organization was effected, by electing David J. Bisbee and Thomas J. Crowley elders. Elder Lawson was engaged to labor for the

church occasionally, and the place of worship was moved from Benton to Butler school-house. Here the church was reorganized, and Andrew J. Greenawalt elected elder, and William F. Potter and Samuel D. Osborn deacons.

Services were held at Butler school-house till the following August, when at a protracted meeting, conducted by Elders G. R. Hand, Joseph T. Rice, and J. C. Lawson, a resolution was passed to build a house of worship at Pleasant View. Martin T. Real, James A. Potter, and A. Bisbee, Sr., were appointed a building committee, and vested with the power of trustees to receive and hold in trust property that the church might acquire. C. B. Bacon was chosen secretary and treasurer of the committee. A subscription-book was opened, and therein appear the following names of subscribers and the amount contributed by each, viz:

In due course of time the building was erected, and the same year, 1867, duly dedicated by Elder G. R. Hand, to divine service. It is a well-built, neat, and attractive frame structure, and cost three thousand six hundred dollars.

Pleasant View has (1881) seventy members. The edifice is situated in section twenty-seven, of congressional township fifty-four, of range twenty-nine.

The building is owned by the Christian and three other denominations, but we were unable to obtain information regarding any of the organ

izations, other than the Christian. We regret the omission, which on the part of the writer, is unavoidable.

The names of the original members of the organization of Disciples, worshipping at Elk Horn Church, are as follows: T. M. Stevenson, Joseph Craven and wife, G. A. Sanford and wife, T. S. Vaughan and wife, J. T. Ogg, Mary McCallum, Elizabeth McAfee, Moab Berry and wife, M. McGaugh, and several others.

The church is a frame building, erected 1857, and when completed, cost $1,100. It was dedicated, as to the Disciples, or Christians, by Elder G. R. Hand and A. A. Pickeral. Reverend N. B. Peeler is the present pastor. T. J. Ogg and J. N. Smith are elders. William Ogg and T. S. Vaughan are deacons. Present membership, twenty-five.

BETHLEHEM CHURCH CHRISTIAN.

Organized in September, 1868. Among the first members were: J. D. Gordon, Arch. Moss, R. Moss, J. Messmer, J. N. Davis and others. The church building was erected in 1869. It is a frame, located on section seventeen, township fifty-four, range twenty-eight, and cost $1,100. It was dedicated in 1869, by Wm. Morton and Anderson Pickeral. Pastors: A. Pickeral and N. B. Peeler.

In 1875, a division occurred in this church, growing out of a difference in the views of its members on the subject of dancing. The faction favoring that amusement withdrew, and, building a house of worship, called it the

It is situated on section thirty, township fifty-four, range twenty-eight; was built in 1876, at a cost of about four hundred dollars. About twenty members-having withdrawn, as stated above, from Bethlehem churchformed the original organization. They retain the name, Christian, meet regularly, and are in a prosperous condition-the membership having increased to sixty-two.

M. E. CHURCH SOUTH, AT LAWSON.

Full reports of this church could not be obtained. It was probably organized about 1870. Among the original members we mention the fol

lowing:

George James, Selina Morrow, Mary Cox, Mary Tiffin, Margaret Allen, Sarah Crowley, Alexander McDonald, Joseph McDonald, G. F. Crowley, Fanny Huff.

R. H. Jordan, Jesse Bird, W. C. Campbell, J. A. Hyder, J. Devlin, L. F. Linn, A. M. Kiergan and H. A. Davis, have been pastors of this church. It has seventy-five members.

CHURCH OF CHRIST OF CHRISTIAN UNION, KNOXVILLE CHARGE.

This church was organized in 1871. The original members were as

follows: H. Whitsen, J. Greason, J. Cook, J. Turney, S. Leabo, Joel Leabo. The church owns no house, but holds services in a school house. Names of pastors: D. H. McLuse, H. Holman, Andrew Arnote, J. W. Horder. H. Holman is the present pastor.

The number of present membership is about sixty. The church is prospering, and contemplates erecting a church edifice at an early date. The doctrines of the Christian Union are probably not so well understood by the general public as are those of most other religious denominations. The church advocates an experimental religion, and endorses baptism, administering it to satisfy the conscience of the subject; and also the Lord's supper. It disfavors debate; its object being to bring all Christian people together. It differs from the Methodist church mainly in church government.

Subjoined is a declaration of views on the unity of the Church of Christ, adopted by the general council of the Christian Union, held at Wesley, Indiana, May 15, 1878. Christian Union principles:

1. The oneness of the Church of Christ.

2. Christ the only Head.

3. The Bible our only rule of faith and practice.

4. "Good Fruits " the only condition of fellowship. 5. Christian Union without controversy.

6. Each local church governs itself.

7. Political preaching discountenanced.

The above is a distinct and formulated statement of the principles of the churches of the Christian Union.

REORGANIZED CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER DAY SAINTS. The district in which this branch is located was organized in 1872, and contains six branches, with a membership of about two hundred in the aggregate. Original members, A. J. Blodget, J. S. Lee, L. W Babbitt, James Wood, W. C. Kinyon, J. W. Johnson, Joseph D. Craven, James Milligan, and E. W. Cato.

The church house is a frame edifice, and was built in 1881, at a cost of seven hundred dollars. It is situated on section 33, township 51, range 26. Joseph D. Craven has been presiding elder of the district since the year 1872. His charge includes the membership of Ray, Platte, Carroll and Livingston counties. Rev. E. W. Cato is pastor of the church. Ray county has only two branches, numbering about sixty-five members

in all.

We have received two conflicting statements concerning the branches, of the district referred to above, in this county, which we are unable to reconcile, but we have gleaned the information here presented from both, with the hope that it will be intelligible, at least, to those most interested.

M. E. CHURCH SOUTH, AT TAITSVILLE.

The original members were, G. W. Cones and wife, John Tait and wife, S. F. Siler, John Reavis and wife, J. S. Barbee, Henry Myers and wife, Frances Bennett, and Sarah Shumate.

The church house is a very neat frame, and was built in 1880. Its cost, when completed, was one thousand dollars.

The following persons, among others, have been pastors of this church, viz: J. Bovee, N. A. Keyes, T. B. Bratten, Butler, Mozier.

Henley,

-

The present membership is eighteen. Preaching twice a month.

HICKORY GROVE CHURCH (UNION.)

Hickory Grove Church building is in Crooked River township, situated in a beautiful grove, not far from the river. It was erected in 1876, at a cost of one thousand two hundred dollars, and is owned by four denominations, all of which are prospering, and worship together in the most beautiful harmony.

M. E. CHURCH SOUTH, IN KNOXVILLE TOWNSHIP.

Original members: Emanuel Peter and wife, J. Switzer and wife, George Peter and wife, Jacob Jackson and wife, G. Vandever and wife. The church house is a frame, erected in 1876, at a cost of $2,500. J. Switzer, Perry, and Leeper have been pastors.

This church has about one hundred members, and is doing well. A Sunday-school, of thirty-five pupils, convenes regularly every Lord's day. In connection with the church is a cemetery, established in 1876.

PLEASANT VALLEY CHAPEL, CHRISTIAN UNION OF MISSOURI.

This church was organized December 30, 1877, with the following original membership: Cleason Robertson, Susan Robertson, Jas. Snider, Mary Snider, Nathaniel Pike, George Porkony, Jeremiah Turner, Octavia Basham, Mary Fair, Annie Youngblood, and Emma McCall.

The church building, a neat and attractive frame, conveniently and tastily furnished, was completed August 1, 1880, at a cost of one thousand dollars, and dedicated the 26th of the same month, by Elder J. V. B. Flack, of Missouri City, Clay county, Missouri.

Rev. Andrew Arnote is now (1881), and has been since its organization,

pastor of this church. Under charge of Rev. Arnote the church is

prosperous, progressive and harmonious.

Its membership has increased until it now numbers eighty-seven.

The edifice is located in Richmond township, about seven miles north of Richmond.

It is appropriate to append the following, as reported to the thirtysixth annual council of the churches of the Christian Union, of Missouri, convened at Salem Chapel, Clay county, Missouri, September 16, 17, 18 and 19, A. D. 1880.