[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 140 (Thursday, October 1, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2418]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                BETHEL BAPTIST CHURCH 200TH ANNIVERSARY

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                           HON. JOHN SHIMKUS

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 30, 2009

  Mr. SHIMKUS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 200th 
anniversary of the Bethel Baptist Church in Caseyville, Illinois.
  Bethel Baptist Church was founded in 1809 and immediately became a 
leading institution on the Illinois frontier. Bethel has been an active 
force for positive change since its inception, advocating abolition 
nearly 60 years before the ratification of the 13th Amendment. The 
first pastor at Bethel, James Lemen, Sr., was such a strong 
abolitionist that the church's original constitution prohibited any 
member from owning slaves or promoting slavery. As the abolition 
movement grew, the church became an important part of the Underground 
Railroad.
  As Bethel Baptist Church celebrates its proud history, it can look to 
a bright future. While the congregation has grown and changed over the 
past two centuries, it has never forgotten its mission in the community 
and continues to work for a better tomorrow.
  I would like to congratulate Reverend Michael D. Evans and the entire 
Bethel Baptist Church family on their 200th anniversary. I wish them 
the best as they continue to build on their rich history.

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