Independent Churches.—Under this head are presented the religious organizations which are not identified with any ecclestical body and which have no affiliation with other churches that would entitle them to be included under a specific name. There is no general classification but certain distinct types appear. First, there are the churches which call themselves independent or unassociated, which originally were missions established in newly settled or outlying districts by people belonging to different denominations. The second class are churches that use a denominational name, but decline to have ecclesiastical connection with any denominational body. The third class are union churches where members of two or more denominations have united to hold service but refuse to become identified with any of the regular religious body. The fourth class includes a number of religious organizations generally known as Holiness churches. They represent a definite church life but no denominational organization.

Independent churches were established in Kansas in the '80s. In 1890 there were 2 in Cherokee county, 2 in Wyandotte county and one each in Johnson, Miami, Montgomery, Riley and Shawnee counties, having a total membership of 271. During the next fifteen years the Independent churches more than doubled, as there were 28 organizations reported in 1906, with a total membership of 685.