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Arts & Culture, Life, Missouri History

Faith on the Frontier: Red Top Christian Church marks two centuries of service.

by Missouri Life

STORY Timothy Reinbott

In 1820, Missouri was the western frontier. After the War of 1812, hearty souls looking for opportunity came from Kentucky and other eastern states to settle in mid-Missouri.

These pioneers brought a yearning for new land and also a yearning for religious freedom that was free of creeds, oaths, and tests of faith. Shortly after arriving, in 1822, a group of like-minded settlers constructed a simple log church near a creek on land given by Nathan and Priscilla Roberts. The roof and gable ends of the cabin were painted red with clay pigments from the nearby creek.

The name of the church, Liberty, reflected the pioneers’ beliefs and desires.

Liberty, near modern-day Hallsville, served the spiritual and fellowship needs of the people, and Sunday worship helped break the monotony and toil of everyday life. One day a week the farmers, trappers, merchants, and loggers came to rest and listen to sermons delivered by church elders. A cemetery was established near the cabin, and the first burial took place there in 1829.

In 1835, the original log cabin burned down, and the resilient congregation replaced it with a larger structure. As before, the roof and gables were painted red. By then, itinerant preachers would stop there for services and, as they traveled about, they would refer to Liberty as the “Red Top Church.”

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As time passed, the church’s surroundings evolved as trees were harvested, prairies plowed, and more settlers moved into the area. Little, red-topped Liberty church continued to serve the spiritual and emotional needs of the people. The church weathered the Civil War, and soon after, the need for a larger sanctuary to accommodate a growing congregation became evident. The original one-acre plot that contained both the church and the cemetery was getting full, so church members purchased an additional six adjoining acres. John Jones, a local carpenter and farmer, led the construction of a spacious sanctuary in 1867. The new building could seat 440 in its three sections of pews. Keeping with tradition, the roof was painted red, and in 1868, Liberty Christian Church was officially renamed Red Top Christian Church.

At that time, Red Top was one of the largest churches in the area and upheld its tradition as a gathering place for area meetings and revivals. Although much of the surrounding land had been cleared by then, Red Top remained in the wilderness, nestled creekside among the trees. This peaceful setting became a popular place for basket dinners where members shared their meals with visitors in the cool shade. To this day, Red Top is known for its food and fellowship with smorgasbords, sausage suppers, and monthly fellowship dinners.

As time marched on, leaders saw the need for missions, Sunday School, instrumental music, and outreach, and they implemented these programs although with some resistance. The congregation of Red Top split in 1914 over these changes. The transition was challenging, but church leaders such as Reverend Granville Edwards and Judge William Roberts kept Red Top together and moving forward. It persevered during the Depression and World War II, and by the 1950s, it had begun a new era of growth and expansion.

The sanctuary built in 1867 has been expanded and remodeled multiple times, and today the building is a functional and modern facility that merges its history with the technological needs of the 21st-century worshipper.

Each Sunday congregants come to worship and fellowship together. When they pray the prayer that was taught by Jesus to his disciples, they join in with those voices that recited that prayer 200 years ago in a little log cabin called Liberty.


This article was originally published in the October 2022 edition of Missouri Life magazine.

Red Top Christian Church will celebrate [celebrated] its bicentennial with a worship service, dinner, and commemorations on October 2 [2022]. The church is located at 14355 Route U, Hallsville, MO 65255; RedTopChurchorg.ChurchTrac.com

All photos courtesy of Red Top Christian Church

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