CHAPEL PREPARES FOR ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

When Methodists from throughout the area gather to worship next weekend at a site near Jackson, they will be continuing a tradition that spans almost two centuries.

Old McKendree Chapel will mark its 175th year with an anniversary celebration Sept. 18. The church was constructed in 1819 on land that had been the location of countless camp meetings and religious gatherings since the early 1800s.

The chapel is the oldest Methodist church west of the Mississippi River and is listed in the National Methodist Historic Register. It is a point of pride for members of the Cape Girardeau-Farmington district of the United Methodist Church, many of whom see the log structure as a reminder of the church's heritage.

"Old McKendree Chapel reminds us of our heritage and our roots as common people of the land," said Rev. Otto Steinhaus, pastor of the New McKendree Methodist Church in Jackson.

Steinhaus' church, like a number of other Methodist churches in eastern Missouri, holds an annual service at the structure, which no longer houses a regular congregation. In addition to these yearly services, the chapel is the site of a district-wide annual meeting, as well as visits by individuals and interested groups.

Even before the chapel's 1819 construction, the site on which it rests was a favorite location for open air camp meetings and other religious gatherings.

In his book "Old McKendree Chapel," Frank C. Tucker writes that the first camp meetings on the site were held in 1806. The meetings took place in a grove of oak, maple and poplar trees which was then a part of the William Williams farm.

These early camp meetings marked the first gathering of Methodists west of the Mississippi River. As time went on, so did the camp meetings.

The grove was said to have provided an ideal spot for the gatherings because it's trees afforded worshipers a great deal of shade while a "sweet" spring was located nearby.

For 13 years, Methodist worshipers continued to hold open-air meetings at the site until the 1819 visit of Bishop William McKendree, who, according to Tucker, provided the local congregation with the spark to build a permanent structure for worship.

Williams donated to the effort the two-acre grove which had previously been the site of so many of the group's camp meetings.

The chapel was constructed by master builder Charnell Scarlet Glasscock, who had previously constructed Jackson's well-known Rock House, which still stands at 119 N. Missouri, the home of Elda Ellis.

Glasscock was assisted in the endeavor by James Giboney and a man known to historians only as Mr. Shelby.

The three builders hand-cut the huge poplar logs used in the construction from trees nearby and fitted the chapel with a wood shingle roof, glass windows and a plank floor, all of which were luxury accoutrements for the frontier times.

When completed, the chapel was named for the bishop who had provided the inspiration for its construction.

Many of the things which made McKendree Chapel a favored site for open-air meetings -- shade and good water -- made it a pleasant spot for worship. Not surprising, then, that it was selected to host the annual conference of Methodist churches in the district in the years 1819, 1821, 1825 and 1831.

Regular worship services continued at the church for over 80 years. The end of its regular services began with the Civil War, which split the Methodist Church into the Methodist Church South and the Methodist Church North.

With this division, Old McKendree began a gradual decline leaving it for the most part deserted by the late 1880s.

Eventually, the road to the log structure was closed and the chapel was largely forgotten.

Interest in the chapel was resurrected in the late 1920s when Rev. W.J. Stewart, pastor of the New McKendree Methodist Church in Jackson became concerned about its preservation. In the autumn of 1932, the Old McKendree Memorial Association was chartered to complete restoration and maintenance of the chapel and grounds, which include an historic cemetery where lie several hundred early members of the church.

Since its start, the memorial association has completed several extensive restoration projects including repairs to the chapel's roof, weatherboarding and foundation.

In 1958, a steel canopy was constructed to protect the wooden structure from rain and snow while a concrete firebreak was poured and additional parking space acquired.

In 1977, a complete roof replacement was made, with authentic wooden shingles hand-formed by a local craftsman. Other work was completed to shore up a sinking chimney and foundation while extensive work to replace termite damaged areas was also completed.

A pavilion providing storage, rest room facilities and a porch for socializing has also been added at the site.

The 25-member McKendree Chapel Memorial Association continues to be active in restoring and maintaining the chapel and surrounding land, with help from caretakers David and Theresa Hopkins, who live on the site.

The Hopkins have been caretakers of the Old McKendree Chapel for about nine years now and in addition to the mowing, carpentry and other work required to maintain the chapel and adjoining cemetery, the two also handle scheduling at the site.

According to Theresa Hopkins, a number of weddings are held at the site throughout the year as well as the meetings of area churches.

The Hopkins are now working to "spruce up" the area, and construct a brush arbor and speakers' platform for the upcoming anniversary celebration.

The Cape Girardeau-Farmington District of the United Methodist Church is inviting the public to this celebration, which is set to begin at 2 p.m. Sept. 18.

Rev. Harry Foockle, senior pastor of Platte Woods United Methodist Church in Kansas City will be the guest speaker. He will portray a Methodist circuit rider from the early period of the Methodist church.

Preliminary activities will include music by the McKendree Men's Quartet and a performance by the Zenon River Brigade, a group which portrays early American Indians.

In addition, historic memorabilia will be displayed at the William Williams home on the chapel site. A recreation of a one-room schoolhouse will also be presented.

The chapel is easily accessible from Interstate 55. From the north or southbound lanes, drivers should exit at the Jackson-Cape Girardeau exit and travel west on Highway 72. Take the first road to the right and follow the road markers to the site.

For more information, phone 243-8723.