Hi yet again, From "Let's Discover Ohio" by Kathy Akers and Janine Montgomery, pg 119: CHURCH The Ohio pioneers had many hardships. They had to rely upon nature to survive. They depended on their own skills and strength. They also depended upon God to help them. At first the settlers held church services in their homes. Their neighbors came for the day. They had prayer meetings and then ate a big meal. Most pioneers enjoyed going to church services. It gave them a chance to talk to their friends. Later, the pioneers built a log cabin church. In some places they held church in the schoolhouse. Sometimes the preacher was also the schoolteacher. Just as there were circuit judges, there were also traveling preachers. They were called circuit riders. A circuit rider had 15 or 20 meeting places to visit on his circuit. he rode on horseback. He performed weddings and funerals. He also baptized babies. He was paid with some clothing and food. Sometimes there were camp meetings in the woods. The camp meeting lasted a few days. The pioneers brought food. They sang songs and read the Bible. They listened to the preacher and prayed. The Ohio settlers' faith in God helped them through the many hard years on the frontier. Many Ohio colleges began as church schools. A circuit rider rode to several churches each week. Maggie !^NavFont02F044D0018NGHnI66NI7347J86NJ8BHK4ECCFD Maggie's World of Courthouse Dust & Genealogy Fever http://www.infinet.com/~dzimmerm/mindex.html *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-* God Put Me On Earth to Accomplish a Certain Number of Things. Right Now I am so far behind, I will never die. --- Unknown *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*