Submitted by Cindy
McCachern
West York, New Providence, Melrose Township Clark County
IL
From The Cumberland Presbyterian, 15 September 1984
Two miles west of West York on the north side of the
Crawford/Clark county line road is the site of the
"Bailiff Church," center of worship for Cumberland
Presbyterians since 1834. The church house stands on
a hill surrounded by trees of oak, walnut, beech and pine.
Adjoining the church yard is the well-kept Bailiff
cemetery, both church and burying ground named for Robert
Bailiff, one of its founders and donor of the land on
which both are located.
It was in the year of 1830 and possessed of $10 that
Robert Bailiff and wife, Anna, came in an ox-cart from
Cumberland Gap, Tennessee, to Crawford County,
Illinois. The following year, they settled in
Melrose Township, Clark County. About that time camp
meetings were being held with great success near Marshall
by the Cumberland Presbyterian preachers, James Ashmore of
Edgar county and John Taylor of Clark County. Robert
Bailiff invited these men to come to his farm and hold
such a camp meeting.
The first meeting, resulting in several conversions, was
held in 1833, and the year following a church--New
Providence Cumberland Presbyterian--was organized by Rev.
Henry Groves at the Bailiff home with Robert Bailiff and
wife, Joseph Green and wife, Sarah Buckner and Thomas
Handy as members. The first house of worship, used
until 1842, was a large shed-like building on the Bailiff
farm made of rough lumber and located just a little west
of the present structure. Rev. J. C. Hill was pastor
until 1838.
In that year, Robert Bailiff was called, and in 1842, he
dontaed land and led in building a log structure 20 x 26
feet which served until 1867, when it was torn down and
its materials used to build a dwelling still in
uses. At the time the church logs were given up to a
secular use, a frame building 26 x 36 feet was erected on
the site of the old structure at a cost of $1,100.
This building, dedicated the same year by Rev. Jesse
Beals, is still doing service. Robert Bailiff served
as pastor until his death in 1877, a total of nearly forty
years.
After the death of the elder Bailiff, his son, Thoms, took
up the work of his father. He ministered to the
church and kept it going as long as he lived. Unlike
the father, who seldom left home to preach, "Uncle Tommy,"
as he was called, was a circuit rider and travelled far
and wide, preaching and holding revivals and making many
conversions. He married many coucples and conducted
funerals in all the surrounding territory. He always
freely gave his services to his home church and was highly
respected by all who knew him.
With the passing of Thomas, his son, Chalkley, succeeded
to the pastorate of "Bailiff Church. " Besides his
work there, he also preached in many other churches and
was active in revival work like his father. He died
in 1936 at the age of 84 years. The combined
ministerial services to this one Cumberland Presbyterian
Church by Chalkley Bailiff, his father, and his
grandfather extended over an unbroken period of 98 years
and each of them donated their services for the love of
the cause of Christ. They, with their wives, are
buried just west of the present chapel, the location of
Robert Bailiff's grave being the door of the old log
church.
Robert Bailiff was made a life member of the Home and
Foreign Missionaries at Alton, IL, in 1864. In 1870,
the young men of the congregation took him to Terre Haute,
IN, and had a large photograph of him made. This
photograph, along with pictures of Thomas Bailiff and
Chalkley Bailiff, hangs in the chapel today.
The church house of 1867 is now enhanced by several
improvements. In 1962, a Sunday School wing was
added with a basement under it. New seats and a new
pulpit were also installed. Shortly thereafter, rest
room facilities and a front vestibule were added. In
1975, the original part of the building was redecorated on
the inside with the ceiling being lowered and paneling
installed. Stained glass windows, furnished by the
family of Leo Green in his memory, and new carpeting
completed this refurbishing.
A partial list of pastors who have served, some more than
once: Noah Haddock, 1891; Charles Waggerman, 1918;
F. E. Bennett; Minnie (Sanders) Hollingsworth; H. E.
Pendleton, 1948; Lloyd Gower, 1949; Stanton Lawer, 1951;
Roscoe Deverick, 1953; Clarence Bline, 1954; J. C.
Bennett, 1970; Richard Chapman, 1975; and Gill Grounds,
1976.
Since 1976, Fran Howe has served as pastor and the church
is experiencing a surge of growth. General Assembly
moderator, C. Ray Dobbins, was present and preached on
July 29th, when the sesquicentennial was celebrated.
New Providence Church is known locally by the name of
"Bailiff Church" and as a friendly, loving fellowship
where all are welcome to come and worship.
(There were no pictures for these captions)
Photo Caption: Cora Bailiff, a congregational
minister, with Hazel N. and Alice E. Boyd--all descendants
of Robert Bailiff.
Photo Caption: Pleasant Grove Church, Annapolis, IL,
is also pastored by Fran Howe, shown here with moderator
Dobbins.
Photo Caption: Pastored today by Rev. Fran Howe, New
Providence was organized in 1834 by Rev. Henry Groves at
the Clark County home of Rev. Robert Bailiff.
Church Index Page
