Historical souvenir of Greenville, Illinois : being a ... - University Library

Historical Souvenir of Greenville, Illinois. 133
George O. Morris, Miss Vera Murrib,
President Board of Education. Real Daughter of" Mr. and Mrs. George O.
Estate, Loan and InsuranceAgent. Morris.
first Baptist church was built on
Main Street between Third and
Fourth Streets in 1854. This was
used until they built their present
house on South Street.
On the writer's visit to Greenville
in 1S45, both the church buildings
were new—that of the Congregationalists
finished nearly, but that
of the Presbyterians largely unfinished
in the interior. The seats
being of plain boards, square and
straight-backed, were by no means
comfortable. Though the roughhewed
frame was there for a vestibule
and gallery, neither was
finished and the marks of the
O. E. Tiffany, A. M., Ph. D.,
scorer's axe were plainly visible in
many places.
The incident heretofore mentioned
of the readiness and
cordiality with which one Christian
church opened its house for other
houseless christian churches shows
the kindly and fraternal spirit
among those who differed on minor
and non-essential points.
When the writer removed his
family to Greenville as a home in
1854, there were five prayer
meetings held on four of the week
day evenings. This brought some
prayer meeting in conflict with
Mrs. Gi!orge O. Morris.
nearly every lecture of entertainment
that might interest or instruct
the citizens. The writer made the
suggestion that all the prayermeetings
be held on one evening.
The suggestion was readily adopted
and Thursday evening chosen because
two of the five prayer meetings
were already held on that evening.
About the same time Father
George Donnell suggested that the
first prayer meeting in each month
be a union meeting. This was also
generally agreed to, with especial
reference to the young and the
Sabbath Schools. For some years
Former professor of history and economics
in Greenville College. Residence of George O. Morris, South Third Street.