The true northerner., 1873-04-18
For the True Northerner.
The FIRST schools and Chure'.s 20 Of Lar
renee.

| The FIRST schools ana ChuTc,sfs OF Lar
renee.
The pioneer settlers of LawreIce, like true
descendants of the pilgrims, as soon as they
had made small openings in the forest and erect
ed cabins to shelter their families, began to
consider how they should provide the means
Of intellectual and moral Improvement for them
selves and their children. Accordingly we find
as early as the spring OF 1887 small frame
school-house In which school was taught the
following summer by Miss Elizabeth Camp OF
Lawrence. The succeeding winter OF 1888 the
first winter school was taught by Mr.. Truman
Foster OF Keeler township. There are num-
Der of pupils OF that first winter school living
this little sketch. Hon. James B. Porter, OF
Lansing, was one of the pupils and if | mis-
take not Mr.. T. L. Rawson, of Decatur. Mr..
Geo. Parmalee, Of Pathological fame taught
the school IN 1889, and Hon. E. o. Briggs in
1910.
The school in its earlier days was favored
with superior teachers, among whom may be
mentioned Hon. VIM. II. Hurlburt, Of South
Haven, who taught the winters OF 1s41 and
1912. and Hon ]. j. Woodman and among the
lady teachers Miss Sarah LumbaId and Miss
Unice House, since the wife of James b. Porter,
OF Lansing.
| After few years the first school-house be-
came too small, a second was erected. and the
old one was used as a dwelling at first, and
afterward as a blacksmith shop, which is still
standing ON the bank near the shop of Mr..
| ~ Al
erection of our beautiful school-house, was sold
to the Methodist Society and by them trans
formed into a neat little house of worship.
! The first Church in Lawrence was organized
in the fall Of 1886 or winter OF 1887, as 1 am
informed by one of the pioneer members, with
seventeen members, of whom four are living
in the vicinity at the present time. The church
was Presbyterian, but has since been changed
! to Congregational. Judge J. Il. Haynes AMI
Horace Stimson we're the Elders, and as they
] had no pastor, they conducted public worship
I by reading a sermon on the Sabbath. Deacon
| Vine Branch, the father OF Eaton Branch, al
ways led the service of song, though quite
aged and infirm, and the music of those early
worshipers was no doubt quite as devotional
worshipers Deacon Branch went long ago to
/ join the songs OF the redeemed in Heaven. A
Sabbath school was organized in 1887, Of which
Mr.. Stimson was the fret superintendent. The
first pastor the Rev. Mr. Humphrey began his
labors the spring of 1888 and preacl cd two or
three years. lie was quite old, but man Of
lind and genial ways. Tho second pastor was
the Rev. Mr.. Jeffers, who began his pas,orate
the winter of 1870. 4 revival followed his et-
forts and number were converted
The Methodist denomination were not quite
80 early on the ground. think the first Meth
odist Society was organized IN 1s41. bnt am not
certain as have TO depend Oh memory; but
with their usual zeal they have laborei ever
since.
The first Baptist Church in Lawrence, or in
the county, had its origin IN the following man
rer: The record says "a few brethren met
in Lafayette April 21st. 1888, to consult about
the prospect of constituting a Baptist Church
in this place. The meeting was organized by
choosing Bro. Stafford Godfrey, Chairman, and
VIM. d. Baldwin. Clerk. They voted to be
knownas "The First Baptist Church of Lafay-
ette" and chose S. Godfrey and Wm d. Bald
WIN as Deacon. and E. II. Niles, Clerk. AS
near as can be ascertained. as the records are
imperfect. there were seven members. It does
not appear that they had any preaching, though
they voted to invite Rev. Mr.. Hail. of Kalama-
zoo. to preach to them. March Goth, 1881, o
SPECIAL meeting was held at the house of Henry
Monroe, brother OF Judge Monroe, and it
was voted to change the name OF the church to
the First Baptist Church Of Van Buren, Coun-
ty," located et Paw Paw aud Brush Creek
1t was also voted to meet the first Wednesday
IN May at the school-housc in Brush Creek aud
that We invite the churches OF LaGrange, Ed
warlsbuIg and Kalamazoo to send delegates
to council to meet at that time to recognize
the Church. We find also the following reso-
luton adopted by this meeting:
Resolre5, That it Is inconsistent with our
profession as Christians to purchase or sell
| lottery tickets, or to make, vend or use any in.
1 toXcatlng liquors except as medicine or for
mechanical purposes, or to resort to any mode
OF personal qualification or profit which Will
corrupt the morals CT endanger the salvation
OF others.
May 9Th, 1s41, the council convened az Brush
Creek, now Lawrence, and organized by choos-
ing Rev. VIM. I. BY, Chairman, and Isaac
Cross, Clerk. After hearing the articles OF
Faith and Covenant the council voted to recog-
mze the Church composed of fourteen men,
bers as 4" The first Baptist Church of Van Bu-
rem County" Rev. Vim. T. BY preached to
them once in four weeks for one year, after
which they had no preaching until 1914. when
Rev. Moses Clark came and preached part Of
the time for ono year. Deacon s. Godfrey and
other members living at Paw Paw were dismiss
sed by letter, and Church was organized 10y
J Rev. VI. Clark at Paw Paw.
I In July, 1851, Rev. f. S. Dunham came to
labor with the Church at Lawrence. and re-
mained eight years. The name OF the church
wac changed to the first Baptist Church of Law
renee, and in 1858 tho Church erected the first
house of worship in Lawrence which was used
by all denominations until the Congregational
Church built their present brick house some
three years later. This hurried sketch can
l,.s. g. a