Sixty Miles to Be Baptized

Ben Soule and Lumber Evangelism

The lumbering industry played a huge role in the early development of Michigan. During the middle 1800's the lumber trade contributed to the industrialization of Michigan through steamships and railroads. It also helped advance the cause of the Restoration Movement.

Edwin Errett noted that “a group of business men, all members of the church of Christ, conceived the idea of organizing a lumber business, purchasing a tract of timber in the center of the state and taking into their business as a silent partner a Christian minister who would locate on their property and proceed to establish a church of Christ in this virgin territory.”

The minister they chose for this position was 35 year old Isaac Errett. Errett viewed this as a call from God. Against the advice of his friends, he turned down a lucrative offer from a church in Springfield, Ill. and moved his family into a log cabin 30 miles north of Lansing.

The lumbering business failed and Isaac’s family was plagued with illnesses. He continued to build a church in the local schoolhouse. The community would eventually be named Muir and the impact of Errett’s determination upon the churches in mid Michigan would be huge.

Ben Soule, known as “Uncle Ben,” one of the partners of the lumber company, eventually became an elder of the Muir congregation. As previously noted, Uncle Ben baptized Elias Sias and would play a large role in the beginning of the first churches of Christ in central Michigan. All of this was the result of an entrepreneurial evangelistic spirit of a few businessmen.

The Pine River Churches

The baptism of Elias Sias is marked as the beginning of the churches of Christ in the Pine River township. In 1856 a Bible School was started in the home of A. V. Packer. The Bible School was eventually moved to the schoolhouse that had been erected at Curtis Corner (Forest Hill). Elias was not satisfied with simply a Bible School in the community. He wanted a church and he wanted to take an active part in that church.

After baptizing Elias, Mr. Soule agreed to come to Gratiot County and baptize the others who were waiting. Within four weeks Elder Soule arrived in St. Louis, and the remaining group of eleven were baptized. It is at this point where the historical records are in conflict with each other.

The Forest Hill church history says that Elias went from house to house announcing that Mr. Soule was coming and the gospel would be preached and a church would be started in the community. Settlers came together for a meeting which resulted in organizing a church of fourteen members in early 1859. Soule could not stay with the infant church and returned home to Muir.