Winchester News-Gazette, 1977.
By Lottie Jacobs and Arthur Sumwalt.
Photograph By Cousins Shannon & Greg Hinshaw.
Methodism as an organization began in 1789 as a group of people who met together to pray and to talk about things pertaining to God. As the numbers grew they were divided into classes and over each group a layman was appointed, whose duty it was to be a leader to them, to watch over their souls, and as the head of the church; and to give spiritual counsel and instruction.
In 1839 the title, "Methodist Protestant Church" was given these people; the name stands for "mutual rights." Christ was recognized as the head of the church; all men were equal; a church government was planned in harmony with the Republic to which they gave their glad allegiance as citizens; and it was in conformity, so far as they understood, with the principals of the kingdom of God.
Hopewell Church was first organized about 15 years after this memorable date, a little before 1845. God planted a desire in the heart of one Rev. Jonathon Flood to organize a class in this neighborhood. Rev. Flood was a circuit rider, making the rounds on horseback from his log cabin, which stood by the fishpond just southwest of Brant Davisson's barn.
He rode into Ohio, among other places, with his open Bible on the pommel of his saddle, stopping along the way to cheer the sick and to give a kind word to the poor, downhearted, and oppressed.
The first preaching was held in his own house; later, services were held in the homes of others, such as John Woodard, John McCamish, Howell French and Joseph Gantz. During this period of approximately eight years, they began to have a great longing for their own church, where they could all meet and worship God with their little ones around an alter with one accord.In 1853 their dreams came true and a frame church was built upon ground donated by Rev. Flood. They sang and prayed as they hewed the lumber; and shouts of joy went up as they planted the first cornerstone. Their new church they called, "Hopewell."
The church faced the south and had only one door. Handmade benches, one of which was the
"mourners bench," served as seats. Two large pillars extended from the crude, rough floor to the ceiling; and between these and the preacher's stand, on each side, was an amen corner. Under the stern eyes of fathers on one side and the anxious eyes of mothers on the other side, the young people were seated in the middle rows of seats.
Some of the most familiar faces on the men's side of the church were Thomas Green, John I. French, Joseph Gantz, William Bailey, Billy James, John Woodard, Sanford Flood and some others. The women were Minerva Green and her little son Francis, Clorinda French, Elizabeth Bailey, Sara French, Sally Ann Woodard, Matilda French Betty Gantz and others.
They worshiped in this church for about 24 years; but it was a cold place in which to have meetings in the winter; the floor sagged and the windows rattled with the wind; moreover the children had grown up and wanted a new church. The old church was torn down and many parts of it were saved to be used in the new church. This second church was dedicated about 1877.
It stood a little north and west of the old one. Quite a number of the old members were still living and helped to erect it. This church was much like the first, facing south but with two entrance doors. The alter was built between two amen corners, one on the east and the other on the west side of the pulpit. The seats were circle seats, and the church was illuminated with gasoline lamps. There was a block of center seats with one aisle on each side and smaller seats on the east and west; two posts again extended from the floor to the ceiling.
As before, Hopewell French sat by one of these posts and Robert Summerville by the other. In the back of the church, near the vestibule, stood an old coal heating stove. A few of the members at that time were Goranzo Gantz, Ben Sumwalt, John McCamish, Bob Woodard, Samuel French, Emanuel Zimmerman, Charles Green, George Bales and their wives. John I French became the owner of the ground where the church stood, and part of the cemetery; he gave the Methodist Protestant Conference a deed for it.
In 1900 this second church was remodeled. In 1913 it was struck by lightning and no one could get to the ensuing fire which caught on the spire and our church burned to the ground.
George Barnes was the pastor at that time. We felt like the pioneers of old, without a church home. Sister churches opened their doors; Sunday School was held in the corner school house and prayer meetings took place in the members homes. Members gave of their means; the surrounding community helped and in June 1914 this present church was built where the other one had stood, at a cost of about $4,000.
Shortly after the first church was built it was put on a circuit with Deerfield and Bear Creek, but Hopewell alone survived. She was connected with Dunkirk for a few years following that, and then placed on the Gaston circuit with Gaston, Cammack and Mt. Olive. We had preaching services once a month, Saturday night and Sunday morning and evening. The parsonage was at Gaston and the pastor would drive over with horse and buggy.
Quarterly meetings were held four times a year, once at each church. Class meetings were held on Sundays and prayer meetings every Thursday evening. In 1916 we were removed from Gaston circuit during the pastorship of Rev. Wooten.
Several marvelous revivals took place during the history of the church. In wagon days people came for miles on horseback, big wagons, buckboards and on foot to attend special meetings under Rev. Remnalls. This was in 1872, and there were over one hundred conversions. In 1897, under Rev. Vice, whole families were saved during services that lasted six weeks or more. Other memorable revivals came during the pastorates of Rev. Rhodes, Teltoe and Rev. Burgess in the early days of our church.
Perhaps, as you see the cemetery, you wonder just how old it is in comparison with the church. Actually, it was laid out by Jonathon Flood and Samuel French even before the first church was built in 1853. We have no record of the organization of the first Sunday School here, although we like to think of it as always being connected with the church.
It was during the pastorate of Glen C. Hershberger that the churches were united, all combining to form the Methodist church. At that time Hopewell was put on a circuit with Trenton in the Muncie district. Rev. Harry Jones came in 1940 and Hopewell was placed on the Albany circuit.
The new pulpit furniture was obtained while he was there and several children were saved during a revival meeting held when he was the pastor. In 1946, Rev. Emery Smith followed Rev. Jones serving until 1947.
We all remember Rev. Merton Spaulding, the next minister, because he was our first student pastor from Taylor University and an energetic young man. Rev. Robert Neely, another Taylor student and a native of Philadelphia, came to Hopewell in 1950.
We will always remember the blessings received from the music of Mrs. Neely and their family. In 1952, Hopewell was taken off the Albany circuit and was alone for a year, with Donald Wilks, again a pastor from Taylor University, serving. We have been very proud to be able to help these three young men as they started out in the ministry. Rev. Wilks has been the first pastor to be recommended by our quarterly conference for admission on trial in the North Indiana Conference.
Today, in 1953, we are on the Dunkirk circuit of the Richmond district with Rev. Wilks as pastor. The membership stands at 44 and we are striving to "enlarge our borders" as a spiritual lighthouse and a home where God and man may commune in worship. We know that numbers mean nothing unless there is a force to give them strength and accompaniment. And, though one hundred years may seem as many, yet in the sight of God's timeless eternity, they seem so few.
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