The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1875-06-24
Congregational General Association.

peared in our last issue, but was unavoid
ably crowded out:
The thirty-fourth annual meeting Of thu
General Association of Iowa, composed
of the Congregational Ministers Of the
State, and of delegates from the churches
was held in Muscatine; the session be
ginning June End, and ending Sunday
June 9th.
Muscatine is unfavorably situated fol-
such meeting and on some accounts is
difficult of access, but the attendance al
the meeting was large.
The people of Muscatine are charac.
terized by an unusual cordially, and
they spared no pains in providing good
entertainment. They seem to appreciate
the spiritual blessing and intellectual
stimulus and improvement a people may
derive from the assembling in place of
SO large body of Christian Scholars as
the General \ association embraces. They
appeared to look upon the coming of the
Association into their city and the pro-
viding of entertainment for them is a
favor and privilege, and did not take the
narrow selfish view that the extension
of hospitality to SO large gathering as a
burden. This was the fifth time the As
sociation had met at Muscatine, and the
people talked enthusiastically of the
coming sixth time, and through their
pastor expressed the hope that this coming
event might not be far distant. Praise
is to be given the people for the enter
tainment provided. They made all feel
that they were entering homes, and that
they must make themselves at home.
The opening sermon was preached by
Rev. L. T. Chamberlain, pastor of the
New England Church of Chicago, from the
text Prov. XII, 80: 1.-The fruit of the
righteous is tree of life; and he that
winpeth souls is wise" The thought of
the discourse was that righteous life
is the source of blessedness, true we'll
being. An upright, righteous, character
is parent of all that is sweet and beeauti-
full in life. The influence of rgetcous
life will win souls to Christ Christ will
help US in this work and make our life
fruitful. / mention the line of thought
pursued because it gives a key to the whole
spirit and diff of the meeting. Papers
were presented showing the desirability
of a regiUal Of Righteousness, and the de-
EMOTIONAL exercises were full of this
thought.
Time will not permit me to speak of
the papers in detail, or even to mention
them. They were all good. Some old
members of the Association remarked
that they had never attended more in
teresting meeting of the body. A high
tide of spiritual power developed itself
during the time allotted to reports of the
state of religion in the churches.
An interesting feature of the meeting
was the "social tea" provided by the
ladies. The Association was to gather
on the lawn at the parsonage for a social
good time and picnic supper, but the rain
intcrfered with this plan and the tea
was served in the Opera House. Fine
music was provided. Speeches were
made by Father Turner, DR.. Storrs, Sec.
Powell and others. Father Turner said:
Thirty-four years ogo l occupied all the
house in Muscatine, one little log cabin
over there. DR.. Storrs had found new
expression. He stayed the first night
after his arrival in Muscatine at the hotel.
In the morning he found two little girls
in the sitting room, the landlords daught-
err and neighbours daughter. He said
to the landlords daughter, lou nave a
little brother?" YES" was the response.
"You have a sister," eyes" "You have
father and mother?" Eyes" Then
turning to the other little girl he said,
"Who is this? have you little brother"
The girls eyes dropped and she said sor-
rowfully, No" "Have you sister,"
said the DR.. Again the sad NO" The
landlords little girl looked up full of
compassion and sympathisingly said,
''She is awful POOR IN FOLKS" The
other little girl frightened up and said,
Il have two cousins" The DR.. pointed
the story by saying that his wife and
children were in Germany and he 1e1t
lawful poor in folks" but while he was
in the Association, he felt that he had
1.-TWO cousins"
A resolution endorsing the action OF the
National Council recommending the con-
.; g N g;n M n
tabled
A letter was read from Rev. j. d. At
kinson, former member of the Associa-
ton, now Missionary in Japan, which
was full of interesting information. lie
sent an earnest request for an organ as a
helper in his work A collection of $116.20
was Immediately taken, and Pres. Ma
goun was to see that the organ was for
warded at once.
At the communion service on the Sab
bath collection of $4,000 was taken Tor
the widow of Rev. A. V. House, home
missionary in the State, recently deceased.
He leaves eight children.
These meetings are occasions OF great
profit to those who attend them, and II
the churches were more fully represented
BY delegates they could not fail OF re-
ceiving greater benefit.
The following sketch of the history of
the Association appeared in the Musca-
tine journal.
In 1S43 Daniel Lane, Harvey Adams,
Erastus Ripley, Horace Hutchinson, Alden
B. Robbins, William b. Spaulding, Edwin
B, Turner, William Salter, James j. Hill,
Ebeneezer J. Alden, Jr., and Ephraim
Adams. came to Iowa, as the Iowa Band.
Reaching Denmark, Lee County, via Bur-
lington, they were assigned to duty. Den.
mark was then called IAN abolition hole,
a station of the underground railroad etc,
and for years was not allowed a postoffice,
it being understood generally that the alb
olitfonists could get all the mail they de-
served at Fort Madison.
A. B. Robbins was assigned to Bloom
ington, now Muscatine, because 1T was
good place for minister who had wife.
He has been there ever since. His wife,
who came with him, has gone to her re-
ward. As lovers of freedom and haters OF
slavery, the Congregationalists has always
been the most radical. That church has
always furnished its full quota of home
missionaries, soldiers for the Union,
teachers for the freedmen, and workers
in foreign fields. They are increasing in
strength and numbers. When the State
Association met here first in 1o45, they had.
% churches, % ministers, and All mem
bers. Now they have 220 churches, 2lt
ministers, and 12, sO3 members. In North
America they have now 1913 churches,
8, 1853 ministers, 336,811 members. This
state is divided into IL ministerial associa'
tons, meeting twice year, while the
State Association meets once in the same
time. 1t met here first in 1915, then in
1852, 1853, 1867 and this year. The Con