Memories of County Line and Dixon Springs Baptist Churches

Bro. Lowell Ragains remembers old days in the churches:
"In our churches of yester-years, we did not have "baptismal pools" in the front of the church. So, we as Baptists, being true to that part of the Christian life, recognized the vast importance of following our Lord in baptism and would find a means to be covered in the waters. That left running streams, rivers and Bay Creek and Sugar Creek. Immersion does require a lot of water, especially for the six-foot tall men. No sprinkling!

Now, Dixon Springs Baptist Church was fortunate, indeed. They had the pool in the park and it was made available to them. My dad, Owen Ragains and his wife, Mary Frances, were baptized there and we still have the photo that was taken on this occasion.

County Line Baptist Church, of the Flatwoods community, used the Bay creek about 1/2 mile or less north of the church in Johnson County, for baptizing. It was within walking distance. Back then, the creek was covered with a sturdy iron bridge and the dirt road went all the way to Rock Springs Primitive Baptist Church near Simpson, Illinois. "I was baptized in this Bay creek. and was the first of 10 people to be baptized that day. It took quite awhile to baptize the rest of them and I thought I would just about freeze to death. You see, it was a chilly and windy day in April. The men took quilts and tarps to wrap around the trees for a windbreak and it made dressing areas as well. The folks on the bank of the creek were singing good old gospel songs. I can still hear their voices lifting up praises and the hymn, 'Shall We Gather At The River.' People would get so happy in the Lord and were not afraid to show it.

When the cars were more prevalent, County Line folks traveled east to the T.O Phelps farm at the bottom of a big hill east of the church. The Sugar creek flowed near the barn and a big iron bridge connected the gravel roads in front of the house. The congregation used to stand on the bridge and watch the preacher baptize the people. The Phelps family allowed the wet folks to use the barn as dressing rooms.

Another phenomen experienced each summer was the 'brush arbor meeting.' This was headed up by the Pentecostal people. They cut down some trees and built the seats out of the smallest ones. The trunks of larger trees were used in an upright position and the branches were placed on the roof as a shelter. They used slats that had been obtained at the saw-mill to construct a platform for the choir, musical instruments and for the preacher to stand on while delivering the message.
I remember, Mrs. Helen Black was the evangelist . She and her husband bought the old Abe Ragains house. So she lead in this Brush Arbor meeting every year. Baptists attended some, too. We could sit in the swing on Grandpa Butler's porch and hear the singing and preaching. Mrs. Black had a strong, high-pitched voice. People came every night…………
( Did not understand each word on the bottom line of this page, sorry)
It wasn't until later that a Pentecostal church was started in Glendale, IL in the old Lawrence Grocery store. Rev. Yontz from St. Louis was the founder. ( They now have a beautiful church building located on Rt. 145 north of Glendale).

Another phenomena was the lodge halls. The original County Line Baptist building, at its second location, had a lodge hall upstairs. You entered these quarters by using steps from the west end. The church never used it to eat. Once a year they ate on outside tables spread high with food under the big trees. This was a big event with a huge turnout. The meal was followed by congregational and quartets singing all afternoon. It was not unusual to hear testimonies and happy people shouting. How we looked forward to these Homecomings to visit with people from far and wide. It was also, a time for updating the family ties.

The church bell at County Line could be heard all over the community early every Sunday morning. 'Come to church' it seemed to be saying. After Sunday School people often went outside greeting the folks that were just arriving for preaching service. The bell was rung one tap announcing, 'We are taking up - better get in here!'

Some of the preachers I remember were:
1. Oscar Reynolds, County Line
2. A. M. Troutman, Dixon Springs
and a Bro. Chrisman
3. Charles Langston, Dixon Springs
4. Louie Simmons, County Line and Dixon Springs
5. Elbert Elam, County Line.

Oddity: preachers could marry you, but church weddings were not the practice in those early years in the Baptist church. None of these preachers had a seminary education either. Nurseries were uncommon. Mothers held them in their laps or made a quilt crib up in front on the floor.

Conclusion:
People did not go to church to go to the bathroom! The church buildings simply did not provide them. No "Little Johns" were rented either. At County Line the men and boys went down in the woods beside the church. Ladies at County Line had a little outdoor privy at the edge of the woods behind the church. On the north side of the church there was a well with a bucket tied to a long rope enabling adults to draw water from its cool depths. After walking those dusty country roads, it was so refreshing to drink out of the one long handled tin dipper used by the whole community. That was before the health department gave out warnings and we lived to tell about it a century later!

The parking lot was very limited and unfinished. Parking consisted of tying the teams to a hitching post or a tree with the wagons and buggies attached. Later a few Model A's traveled the lane to the church until rain or snow made them impassable.