The weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1858-1860, 1858-07-27

persons. Tho Iowa Conference was created
and its first session held in 1874. In 1855,
one hundred and ifty-six preachers received
appointments. The number Of members re.
ported that year was 1898, and Of proba.
TONERS, 3, 425, making total Of 22,4ls. The
number Of local preachers was 2s6; ofhouses
Of worship, ZIG; and ofparsonages, As. In
1856, the Upper Iowa Conference was Gre
ated, embracing the Northern part Of the
State. According to the returns made at the
meetings Of the Conferences in September
last the number Of preachers in the itinerant
work in the State is pa, and Of church-mem
bers, 3O,742 The number Of Methodist
houses Of worship is III, estimated to be
worth 500, 900, and the number Of parson-
ages 81, with probable value of $54 ,525.
The number Of Methodist Sunday Schools,
as reported, is 440, with q ISL scholars, and
62, 357 books in their libraries.
The Methodist Episcopal Church, in this
State, has manifested highly commendable
zeal in the cause of education. In 1850,
they adopted Collegiate Institute, which
had been previously established at Mt Pleas
ant as their Conference University They
have erected one of the largest College edi-
fees in the State to wit one hundred feet
long, fifty five feet wide and three stories
high The Institution is open to both sexes,
and number Of female names appear in the
catalogue of college classes. The number Of
students for the academical year 1878,
was, in the college classes, 33, in the prepara-
tory and scientific departments Isl, and in
the grammar school, 107,-total, 29l. A
Biblical and Theological Department has also
been organized, under the care Of one of the
most distinguished scholars in the Methodist
Church. Charles Elliott, d. D., the President
Of the University
Cornell College, designed to sustain the
same relation to the Northern part of the
State, has been established in Mt, Vernon,
Linn Co., under auspices equally favorable
Several smaller seminaries have also been
commenced under the superintendent of
Methodist ministers, in different portions of
the State, as at Fayette, in Fayette Co., and
Quincy, Adams Co
In relation to the great evils Of intempe-
rance and slavery our Methodist Brethren
In this State have preached the Gospel with
no uncertain sound. BY the formal action
| of their Conferences, and by the public ad-
dresses oftheir preachers as well as by other
labors, they have largely aided in developing
that moral sentiment against these evils
which SO honorably distinguishes our State.
In 1885, the Conference recommended to the
General Conference such an alteration of the
Methodist Discipline as should declare that
the Church was more than eoer convinced Of
the evil of slavery, and of the duty of remov-
ing it from the Church. In 1856, it was re-
solved, that we will use all means consistent
with our high calling, to prevent the spread |
of American slavery, and day Of prayer
was set apart for the emancipation of our
brethren in bonds in the Slave states. In |
the same year. the ministers of the Upper |
Iowa Conference resolved to make every |
reasonable and consistent effort to maintain
healthy anti slavery sentiment in their sew
eral congregations, in order to prevent the |
extension of slavery in the country. and to
effect the extirpation Of this great evil
1t is matter for deyout thanksgiving to the
Great Head of the Church, that He should
have inspired the largest band OF His profess
ed followers in our State with disposition
thus to stand up faithfully for the principles
OF His Gospel on these subjects. 1t augurs
well for the cause of Christ amons us, and
for the continued prosperity and usefulness
OF the Methodist Episcopal Church.
The Methodist Church has prosecuted
evangelical labors among the Germans in
this State with much success. They have
made many converts among the Roman Cath
olics. According to the last years report,
there were thirteen preachers engaged in
this work in Iowa, with I26 members, eight
cen houses of worship, valued at SIT, $50, six
parsonases, valued at $4,000, and sixteen
Sunday Schools, with 435 scholars
The next largest Protestant denomination
in our State is that of Baptsts The first
Church of this order in Iowa was organized
at Danyille, in this County, in 1884 The
Des Moines Association, embracing the Bap-
fist Churches in this section OF the State,
was organized in 1888, and is the oldest &C.
clesiastcal body of the denomination in
Iowa. A church was organized at Keosau-
qua in 1888, at Davenport, and at Pisgah, in
this county, in 1889. The first church in
this city was organized in l849, and the sec
ond in August 1857 The number Of men,
bers in the first, in August last, was 206,
and in the second, AZ. The Iowa State Bap.
fist Convention was organized at Iowa CITY
in 1872. At its meeting IN this city, in 1851, !
the number Of churches reported was 46,
81, persons baptized the previous {
year, 263, whole number Of members, l,7S0.
The statistics of 1857 give the number of
churches as l47, pastors 80, other ordained
ministers and licentiates, CT, number of
members, 1,445, baptized the previous year,
jsb. Twenty-four new churches were re-
ported as organized, and twenty five minis
ers as having moved into the State during !
he year. .
The Baptist denomination in this State
nave established two literary institutions, $
NJ Burlington University, which was open c
ID in 1851, and College at Pella, in Marion {
20. =
Presbyterian and Congregational mission
ny labors were performed at an early day 5
n this State by Rev. A. Kent of Galena, t
H., at Dubuque and in its vicinity, and in Q
his portion of the State by Rev. Asa Turner, j
hen Of Quincy, ILL.,, and by Rev L. G. Bell \
IS illustrating the poverty of the early set d
lers, and the hardships endured by the pio- s
eer missionaries may refer to the expert t
nee OF the minister last named, who report |
d, in 1874, at the close of eight years oftoil 0