The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1875-03-25
AT THE
Old Congregational Church,
Sunday, March IA, 1875
Sermon in Review Of the Past History
of the Church.
BIZ THE PASTOR,
REV. H. C. HITCHCOCK.

Deut. 32:7. "Ramember the days of old and
consider the years Of many generations; six thy
father, and he will ShSw thee; thy elders ana
they Will tell thee"
The duty of the day for US is one of
memery. The circumstances under
which we meet, invite US to q retrospect.
We stand this morning lingering for q
moment longer on this ancient threshold,
before taking our final departure. Civ
ing one backward look, as we turn on
our feet to go hence forever, it is only
natural that past scenes and events
should come thronging to our minds.
Not that this house Of worship is struc-
ture of extraordinary antiquity. For it
is not. 1t can not compare in this re-
gard with edifces in some of the older
States to the east Of US. II is said that
the most ancient sanctuary now standing
in the United States, is the Corgrega-
tional meeting house in the town of
bingham, Mass, which was built soon
after the settlement of that town, in the
year 1880, and is still in use as temple
of worship. Of course, this new North
western region of ours can boast of no
such hoary venersbleness as that. Still,
this place, to which we are called in the
providence of G. cd to say Good bye to-
day, stands among the most ancient of
those ever dedicated to a religious use
on the soil ofKenosha. And these walls
which look down upon US this hour, are
the same, in part at least, that have
looked down upon the entire period of
the religious life of those who have been
longest identified with the Christian
body worshipping here.
The records show that the religious
society, called the First Congregational
Church of Southport, as it then was, was
organized IN the year 1888. This was
just three years after the arrival of Bal
len, Bacon, and Wilson, the first explor-
ing party Ct white men, SO far as is
known, who ever stood upon this ground;
and less than three years after the COM
ing of the. original eight pioneer fami-
lies, mostly from the town of Hannibal,
in the State of New York, thirty-tWo
souls in all, who comprised the popula-
zion Of the place during the FIRST winter
of its settlement. The growth Of three
years, meanwhile, had advanced the
numbers, according TO 6 journal kept by
one of the OLD inha bitants, from s fami-
lies to 80, and from 80 persons to l86.
AND here it is that The history Of our
chusch begins. The first meeting for
organization was held in Deacon Whit
ney's log tavern, which stood lear the
site Ut the present Telegraph Building,
OF the corner of Main aud Market SITS.
This Was the 255h day OF June, 1888.
The organizing services were conducted
by the Rev. Gilbert Crawford, previously
q pastor in Albion, and other places,
in the State Of New York, then resid-
ing in Milwaukee. At that time 19
persons entered into solemn covenant TO
walk together in the fellowship Of pray
ers and labors for the upbuilding of the
Kingdom of Christ in the new settle
ment, namely Hollis Whitney, in
whose log cabin they met, Sarah B
Whitney, Phila Whitney, Austin Stone,
F. A. Higgins, Amanda Higgins, Mar
ietta Lay, George Bennett, Maria E. Ben
nett, Lois Weed, William Seymour, Ar
seneth Seymour, Martha Foster, D. P.
Stryker, Mary Stryker, Mary Hale, Wa
tiers Towslee, and Eecta Tewslee.
In the came year three other Congre-
gational churches were organized in the
territory which is now the State of
Wisconsin, namely at Beloit, at Milton,
and at Waukesha. So that Kenosha is
one of the four oldest bodies bearing
our name in the State. The Plymouth
Church of Milwaukee. which is the
mother church Of our order in that city,