Religion, Reform, and Patriotism in Southern Illinois.

A case study is presented concerning Evangelical reform and patriotism in southern Illinois between 1852 and 1900. It examines the organization the Southern Illinois Conference (SIC) of the Methodist Episcopal Church, religious zeal in southern Illinois during the era known as the Gilded Age, and what the author identifies as Midwestern characteristics of faith, nationalism, and patriotism. The article discusses the emphasis of the Bible, observance of the Sabbath, and temperance efforts among evangelicals.