Reformed Presbyterian Church
(Eden/Sparta)

Formerly known as Bethel and Old Bethel Congregations, this church claims roots to the original church which was formed on June 19, 1821, in Eden.

Rev. Samuel WYLIE, born in County Antrim, Ireland in 1790, came to the United States in 1807.  
On May 2, 1815, he was licensed to preach at Philadelphia,  later being ordained by the Middle Presbytery on June 2, 1818.  In July of 1818, he was sent as a missionary to Kaskaskia and the southern part of Illinois.

His main preaching place at this time was a few miles from Sparta. His first session was constituted in May of 1819, at James McCLURKENs.  Members were Rev. Samuel WYLIE, William EDGAR and Samuel LITTLE.

The congregation was organized in June, 1821, with 35 members, and called Bethel Reformed Presbyterian Church.  Their first building was built in 1823.   As their membership increased to over 300, a larger building was needed, so in 1827, they decided to enlarge.  Of course, members could not agree on WHERE to build, so finally in February of 1830, they decided to sell the church at the cemetery and built the new church in Eden.

There were about 27 families who favored the old site, and they presented a petition for another congregation to be formed.  It was granted in Nov., 1831, taking the name of Old Bethel and they settled near Houston, IL.

After the new building was completed in Eden, there came a denominational split in 1833.
Rev. WYLIE and four elders, plus a majority of the congregation, went with the new group, the Reformed Presbyterian Church, General Synod.  Two elders and a minority sided with the Synod of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America.  Soon the question came, who owned the new building?  The synod of the Reformed Presbyterian Church got the claim to the building.  The General Synod group then built a new church a few hundred feet away and they also claimed the name Bethel Reformed Presbyterian Church.

From 1833 until 1975, there were three churches from this original group, 
claiming the name of Bethel.

In 1975, the Old Bethel and the Bethel congregations joined together.  They chose a new name to avoid more confusion, calling themselves the Sparta Reformed Presbyterian Church.
Old Bethel Cemetery
ss: RCH 1995

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