Rev. Keith Stuart gave us some background on the First Congregational
Church's history. The church was founded in 1834 for the “purpose
of having freedom of thought and action according to the dictates
of their conscience and Christian training, especially at this
time in regard to the anti slavery and temperance.”
In March 1836, while the Rev. W.T.
Allen was lecturing on anti-slavery in the basement of the church
a mob attacked and broke up the meeting throwing eggs and clubs.
When they tried to pull the minister out and put a rope around
his neck and hang him a group of women crowded around and kept
the mob off until he got into the street.
There was a second attack at the
church in 1837: “marauders broke windows with stones and
other missiles” and were so incensed when they did not capture
the lecturer, Professor William Cochran from Oberlin College that
they chased him to the home of Dr. Baxter in Miller Township and
“shamefully maltreated” the doctor. The next night
the Oberlin professor had an appointment with David Bixby in Pike
Township where the mob broke down the door “struck Mr. Bixby
to the floor and so frightened and clubbed his wife that her life
was despaired of for a time.”
171 years ago people risked
their lives in doing freedom’s work. I wonder what I would
have done? What would you have done?
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