Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1877-01-03

The history of the material inter-
ests during this period can only be
gathered from individual sources as
no congregational records were kept
until September, 1868.
This first building was afterwards
sold and is now occupied as pri-
waite residence Immediately in the
rear of the present church cdifice.
Some complaint was made at the
time that the church was too far out
of town. The force of this objection
will be better understood in the light
of the fact that at that time a line
drawn from the present residence of
Judge Hendershott to this point and
extending east along Fourth street
would have left the entire town on the
river side with much room to spare,
while on the north side there was
no dwelling nearer than the present
residence of Mr.. Dana, more than a |
mile distant. 1t was with feelings
of real comfort the little band of wor-
shippers entered their unpretending
sanctuary. They now had a church
home and it was all their own; but
scarcely had they recovered from
their efforts to complete their church
building when, with the community
and the country at large, they were
called to face the money panic of '57
and '5S, which, with poor crops, made
hard times for the community and
very close times as to temporal affairs
with minister and people. The rec
ords of the church, however, show
that during this financial crisis the
s,,.& s.4a 20 10 IL,
more than usually prosperous,
numbers beng hopefully converted
and brought into the church.
Soon. however, the political sky be-
came overcast with black and threat
ening clouds, and the question of sub
sistence became merged in that of cx-
istcncc, as call after call came for men
to go to the front and place themselves
in the dread array of battle. Du-
| ring these cvcntful years, the scenes
and experiences which characterized
every community and every church,
were enacted within the circle COM
| posing this congregation.
/ From the families of this church IL
men went to the front, of whom at
least four never returned to fill again
their places in social life. Within a
few months four successive superin-
tendcnts Of the Sabbath School re-
signed and entered the army.
i But why attempt to describe that
which is so vivid in the memory of
SO many. The hardships of the camp,
the weary march, the shock Of battle
at the front, the Inconvenience and
privation at home and above all the
dread and narrowing suspense while
waiting for the list Of killed and
wounded and missing, as the tclc-
graph flashed the intelligence of vic
tory or defeat. Those were days in
which the faith of Gods people was
sorely tried, but failed not.
!, Nor was the word of God bound
, During this period many were
: brought into the fold of Christ and
l the lite band, though torn with anx-
: iety and borne down With the super.
: added weight of domestic cares, bore
y still upon their hearts and in their
: prayers the church of their love.
During all the war, as before and
!, afterward, there was substantial har
: mony in the church not entire agree
ment of opinion, but mutual respect
. and confidence and good will.
In the year 1868, while most of thu
:; male members of the church were il
4 the army. the ladies, having in view
the growing necessity for larger
,e church building, purchased the lot OF
= which the present edifice stands ant
u which then extended to the alley adj
> joining the property of Mrs. Georg'
:, Gillaspy, for 1925. By their own cN
- ertions they paid for it and placed OF
- the ground the rock to be used in TIL
: foundation of the building.
= The actual work of construction
y. was commenced in 1865. The OLE
= church was sold and services trans
- ferred to the Court House. The tax
> able property of the membership a
3 this time was less than $4,000. Tn
= entire cost of lot, building and furn
.c ishing was about $4,000; Of this sun
= the ladies secured about ST., 800.
:. The board of church erection pai
y, y $500, pei sonal friends in other place
y. about 500. The remainder was sc
- cured by direct and unremitting ei
~ ~ fort by members and friends in tn
'h community. Only those who hay
=. passed through a similar cXperient
ii can appreciate the toll and self den
= al and sacrifice necessary to accom-
y plish this result.
us But with this outward activity an
40 following it there was manifesto
ie an earnest spiritual life. Durin
u the year 1866 the church was blesse
with more marked religious intere
~ and larger accessions than at al
~ previous time; no extra means, yet
~. quiet, constant revival. The Poop
20, were giving of their time and SUI
~ stance until they felt it. They ha
~ brought all the tithes into the sto
~ house and the Lord opened the Wi
~ dows Of heaven.
o,i For some time previous to the tie
~ mination of the first pastorate,
ei April 1859, the failing health of tn
~ pastor compelled partial cessatie
= from active work. The congregatit
~ to whom he had ministered SO lor
,.e' and with whom he had endured
III much and between whom and hir
"a self the strongest ties of christian q
an an lection existed, declined to act upe
~ his resignation, but voted a relea
10 from all pastoral work for six month
hoping that rest and freedom fro
~ care would result in fully restore
H. health.
W. The pastor however, early in Il
year 1869, being convinced that lt
,c. toration to health depended on cor
of plete freedom from responsible
rr again asked the congregation to uni
". with him in seeking from the Presb
AN terry a dissolution Of the pastoral rel
cd ton.
Influenced by "a sense of duty to the
sel pastor, the congregation accecded
his the request, and on the 2lst day
tie. April, 1869, the relation was di
|ly yolved. On the same day call w
presented by this church and place
W. in the hands of the present pastor
&c the Presbytery of Fairfield, and a
copied. lie entered on his work Il
u.s. 23d day of May, 1869, and was du
err, installed by committee Of Presb
est terry on the 4th day of June.
,sc During the years that have passt
4 a since that time God has given !
is many tokens of his favor. Not
in single case of gross wickedness b
is called for judicial investigation.
m The church has been united al
,se harmonious, and while doubtless
uli navy SOhAC chOA y y
AN every real interest of the church h
of advanced. Faces and names ha,
changed. Less than one-third of tho
fl whose names appeared upon our re
ed, in May, 1869, are now with us. Du
ice ing the same period l52 persons ha'
lal been admitted to membership, and
It'll is gratifying to be able to say til
res there is no evidence that any one I
ms admitted has brought dishonor upt
his the cause Of Christ. During this pa
torate also Sc members have been di
A. missed to other churches, and fc
0o have removed without taking the
AZ. letters. Our historical sketch wou
he not be complete without our "hon
oh roll" the names of those who ha'
ho been promoted to the church tt
,co umphant. They entered into rest
nd the following order:
tbs Newton Allen Wilson, John Ru
soil Holm Calvin Hite Mrs Mary