The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1876-07-07
THE CHURCHES OF EMPoR1A.

were males and six females, with Caleb
Beekes as the first ruling elder; in the
absence Of any place Of worship Of their
own, or Of ability to secure one, the little
band by the courtesy Of another denOmi-
nation, met IN their house of worship in
the afternoon for public service. During
Rev. Gordon's ministry there were added
to this church by letter and upon profess
sion Of their faith, in all, eighteen MEM
beas.
In the spring OF 1869 Rev. r. n. Over
street, graduate Of Princeton. New Jer-
sey, who had previously labored in the
ministry at Sandwich, Illinois, and as q
missionary in Texas, succeeded Father
Gordon in the oversight and care of the
little church. At this time the society had
rented, and were occupying, a small up
stairs room In Isaiah Jones' brick front
tive story store building, situated on the
east side of Commercial street, between
Sixth and Seventh Streets room with
out other ventilation than came from
three windows in the front end. Their
discomfort here during the hot weather
OF the summer OF 1863, led them to make
another change Of location, and they re-
moved about the LIST Of November, 1863,
to the second story of DIR. A. s. Tandy's
frame store building, on the west side of
Commercial, between Sixth and Seventh
streets, where they had greatly enlarged
and improved quarters.
As result of the very rapid growth of
the town, contingent upon the compile
ton OF the Union Pacific Southern Branch
(now M. Il. q To- railroad to this place,
and the anticipated arrival Of the Atchi-
SON, Topeka & Santa Fe railroad, the lit
tie church grew with great rapidity dur
ing the latter half OF 1869 and the first
half Of 1870, so that during the ministry
Of Rev. r. Ii. Overstreet, which contin-
ued until July, 1870, there were added to
the church by letter and upon profession,
in ali, siXty-eIght persons, in all to that
time, added eighty-six-seventeenp persons
having been dismissed to other churches
during the same period, leaving sixty
nine names on the roll. In consequence
OF the failing health Of Rev. 0verstreet in
the summer Of 1870, the church was tenn
porariIy supplied by Rev. Mcmillan,
OF Carlinville, Illinois. A call to the pas
torate OF the church was placed in the
hands of Rev. Overstreet, but In conse-
quence Of bad health, was declined by
him. In September, 1870, Rev. Albert
McCalla, q graduate of the class of 1870
of Union Theological Seminary, New
York, and licentiate of Chicago Presby-
terry, being prOvidentially in the town,
was invited to preac b to the people at the
Wednesday night prayer meeting, and
again on the Sabbath following; upon
which last occasion, Rev. B. NJ. oYerstreet,
having signified his intention to decline
the call to the pastorate, the Society in
Vited Rev. McCalls TO supply their pulpit
for 3 short period, with a view to call as
pastor, which invitation was accepted,
and resulted in the consummatlon of the
pastoral relation and installation of Rev.
Albert McCalla, en- Sabbath, October 16,
| 1870. Sermon by Rev. Timothy Hill;
charge to the people by Rev. R. NJ.
James Gordon.
The little church was now in -four
ishing condition, and its continued steady
growth, and the rapid growth OF the town,
inspired pastor and people with a deter.
mination to arise and build house OF
worship. A sketch and plan of church
building was drawn by the pastor, and
submitted to congregational meeting
called for the purpose, Of considering the
whole matter, held on the 9th of Septem.
Der, 1870. The general ideas of the plan
were adopted, and a resolution adopted to
| commence the building early in the fol.
lowing spring. At subsequent congre-
gational meeting, two committees were
created-a building committee, composed
Of S. B. Riggs, L. N. Robinson, Caleb
Beckes, George Smith, and James 81
Carswell; and q finance committee, com.
posed Of 4. r. McCandliss, T. F. Daven
port, G. E. Kelsey, W. T. Nichols, D. c.
McMurtrie and H. w, Mcclure, to whom
was committed the care and supervision
OF the enterprise. A location, corner Of
Eighth and Commercial streets, was Sc
cured, and work commenced early in the
spring of 1871, and prosecuted vigorously
and without interruption until, on Sab,
bath, December Sd, 1871, was dedicated
to the worship OF Almighty God (what
in the original plan, Is designated the
chapel) their present comfortable brick
house Of worship, SO < Is feet in size
all completely finished as TO the
inside, and comfortably seated, cush
toned and carpeted; and as wa;
then thought, free from debt "a subscrip
tion having been that day taken ampl!
Sufficient to cover the deficiency. Thu
sermon was preached by Rev. b. S
McCabe, d. D., OF Topeka, Kansas, the
OBLIGATORY prayer by the pastor. Tn
whole cost of this church building, in
GLIDING the furnishing, was betweeI
$1,000 and 5000, about One-half of whicl
amount was raised in Emporia, Christian
of every denomination, and those nc
, protesting Christians, alike contribut
, ing literally of the remainder. Libera
contributions were made by friends {
individual members OF the church livIn
, I'm POrtsmcathy Ohio Zauesville, Ohit
and by the First Presbyterian church {
, Chicago. A portion OF the subscripto
made for the liquidation of the deficit o
the building was never realized, 80 thu
there still remained a debt which ws
|, unproyided for, until through the instr
> mentality Of the present pastor, Rev.
Fl. Clark, and assistance received from tt
board OF church erection, every dollar
debt was finally wiped out in the sprir
4 OF. 1875. lf,t-y a.. as.H4.
n The Passionate OF Rev. Albert Mccall
!, continued until the fall of 1872, when
Z removed to Chicago, Illinois, and was
. successful one, the church having grow
largely, and become, at that time, Il
strc INCEST church in Emporia Presbyter
During the fall and winter Of 1872, II
: pulpit was temporarily supplied by Re
d Milton frey, Lutheran minister, wit
i, out charge, resident here. On the I'd
d March, 1873, the Rev. W. c. Hardin
e formerly from Minnesota, was called
It the pastorate, and continued in char
d until April IS, 1874, when, at his own I
1t quest, the relation was dissolved. and
% removed to Chattanooga, Tenn.
~ The church was without pastor,
though maintaining public worship
means OF temporary supplies, until No
Is ember, 1874. when Rev. James II. Clar
u OF Olathe, Kansas, the present pastor, W
q. called. The present passionate has be
more fruitful in conversions and additio
to the church upon examination than al
IL which has preceded it, the Lord hayil