The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1876-04-06
WICHITA AND HER CHURCHES.
A LIVE MEMFERsHIP---DEvoUT, TALENTED
MINISTER'S
and Large Interesting Sabbath Schools.

AAu la ~ 4Hb1ASoaA4l6 Ea1to11 O.1DuiS.
Almost the first serious question
that presents itself to the minds of
parents who have determined on
coming west is one touching he NOR
atty of the people and the state of
society that will be encountered III a
new and umdeyelOped country to
which has been attracted The w0ri -
transient forces. We can only at
swer for one section, and the privilege
proudly embraced. In truth mo-
meuis reflection ought to enable an
Intelligent person 10 arrive at the true
conclusion, II such one viii but take
into consideration the fact that only
thu most enterprising and intelligent
as rule sever Old ties and ASSOCIATIONS
for the purpose OF making homes III
the far west. AS Will be seen by sta
tistIcs given elsewhere q large per
cent. of the people of Sedgwick cOun-
ty are from Central Illinois, land of
schools and churches. The assertion
is ventured that there cannot be found
in the county twenty grown persons
who cannot read and write, and for
morality, upright and law-abiding
people, for reiemenf, good taste, So
cial and hospitable qualities, no more
advanced people, III the aggregate, can
be found anyw here. AS an earnest
of these declarations we append re-
port of Rev. j. Z. iIarsen. pastor of
the Presbyterian church, together
with some statistics from j. T. Hanna.
pastor of the NJ. T.. Church and from
j. 5, Turnbull of the United Presby
terrain church.
The first Presbyterian church Of
Wichita, the oldest ecclesiastical
society in this citS, was organized Nv
the Rev. w. X Boggs OF the 18th day
of March. 1870, with thirteen members.
In the fall of the same year q frame
church was erected on the west side Of
town near the river The Rev. W. X.
Boggs was succeeded by the Rev, j.
p. Harsen on the 1st of December, 1871.
In the fall of 1872, this society finding
their place of worship too small and
illadapted to their wants sold it to the
Roman Catholic church and rented
Eagle Hal, where religious service was
held for a period of three years. at
present this congregation holds its SER
vices in the Baptist church. Should
this be favorable season it Is expect
ed that an effort will be made by this
society TO build Centennial Church.
During the year ending April 1st, '76,
thirty-iive persons have united with
this church, eleven of this number on
the profession of faith. The total
number now on the church roll is $50.
This church has expended during this
period for current expenses 81, 100, aud
has contributed in addition to this
amount to various benevolent agencies
the sum of $40. Services are held
each Sabbath at IL a. IN. and 1-2 p. m.
The weekly prayer meeting is held on
Thursday evening, at 7 IL O'Clock, p. IN.
The Lords supper is commemorated
on the first Sabbaths in January April,
July and October. a flourishing Sum
day School, OF which T. L. Nixon is
superintendent,.is held every Sabbath
at 1-2 O'Clock, q. III.
The following is list of the officers
of this church:
PaStor-J. r. Harsen.
Eiders-H. W. Lawrence, G.. S. Cald-
well, II. e. Lawrence and ID. \.
Mitchell
TrusteeS-A. y. Hyde, I. L. Nixon,
and w. a. Reese.
Treasmer-A. A. Hyde.
Sisters IN Chdrge-Mrs. Dora LEIGH
hardt, Mrs. Annie L. Jones, Mrs. Mary
III. West, Mrs. Sarah j. Mead, Mrs.
Sarah E. Mitchell and Martha b.
Reese.
CoiectorS-D. A. Mitchell, W. \.
Reese. J. ID. Rhode and j. Wingard.
UshsrS-D. y. Mitchell, T. l.. Nix
on, III. Kramer and G.. w. Graham.
Committee on Nusic-T. l.. Nixon,
Mrs. 4. w. Parkham and Miss j.
Soult.
Serton-John Stewart.
The NJ. Il. Society have very pleas
ant house of worship neatly finished,
comfortably seated and surmounted
with good bell. Numerically it is the
strongest organization in the CITY,
numbering 2lS regular members IN
good standing. Their Sabbath school
has enrolled 500 scholars, with 2Sl as
the highest attenda nee at any one time
during the year. The average for the
past year has been 1876, which is very
encouraging showing The only
that we hear, and that
from the members of the church, is
that the church is too small. An effort
will be made this Centennial year to
add to or build u new one. Mr.. Hanna,
the pastor, is an eloquent earnest man,
and always rain or shine draws large
house.
The Union Presbyterian church was
organized October 23rd, 1S74, its men,
bership numbering seventeen. j. 5.
Turnbull their pastor is quiet, earn
est christian.
The First Baptist church organized
March, 1873 and has membership of
The organization is with
out stated pastor at present, but il
owns clear of debt, very solid and
brick church, which is val
ued at $4,000. The trustees of this
property are Ii. j. Hills and j. X. Saw
yer. n. Il. Arment, superintendent of
the Sabbath school, which was organ
lied three years ago, informs us that
the average attendance Of the scholars
is about one hundred.
The St. Aloysins is the name of the
Catholic church, tasty edifice with
upon the same grounds.
Rev. j. a. SchurZ, a man of large ex-
perience, is the pastor, under whose
supervision parochial school is con-
lucted. No statistics of membership
Of this organization has been furnished
rs.
Wichita is as well furnished with
and boasts as many church
,oing people as towns of the same pop
Ilation in ony part of the Union.
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