Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1883-05-31
RELIGIOUS REoOLLECTIONs.
Early Times in the Lead Rcsions-Ietter From
Rev. John c. Holbreok Read at the Ami
yersary Exercises.
PoRTLANp. Nc. Anil 8. Isl

|
ences Of the early religious history Of
the mineral region of Wisconsin, to be
read at the fortieth anniversary of the
organization of the church in Lancas-
ter The attempt to give them will
carry me back to what is, perhaps the
most Interesting portion of my miuis-
terial life, when | was fun of yigor.
enterprise and hope, that seem almost
incredible TO me, now, in my seventy
sixth year. But rejoice that it was
my privilege then To labor in those re-
vlvaIs of religion which did so much
| towards shaping the moral, religious.
and social character, of that section Of
your state.
My first visit there was in COM
pany with the Rev. Stephen Peat. then
the excellent and laborious agent of the
American ii. Nj. Society, and DR.. j. w.
Clark, who soon after entered upon the
medical practice in Platteyille, and who
was SO largely instrumental in building
up the Congregational church and es-
tablishing the academy (now Il state
normal school in that village. There
was, at that time, 1912, very rude
state of society in the mining region of
Wisconsin and the adjoining sections of
Iowa and Illinois. Churches were few
and feeble, and gambling and GRIMM
allties OF various other kinds were rife.
There was, in fact, very much the same
condition of things as afterwards ex-
isted in California, in its earliest DAYS
! and whittier many of the lead miners
emmIgrated
| My companions and | left Milwaukee
in February, 1912, and traversing what
was then the recently organized Terri
tory OF Wisconsin, made our first stop
at Platteville. There was then. so far
as | now remember, no ordained Con-
/ gregational or Presbyterian minister
laboring in southwestern Wisconsin.
Rev. }. ID. Stevens, who had been mis-
sionary of the American Society among
the North American Indians. was
/ preaching at Prairie du Chen. and Mr..
A. nj. Dixon, q licentiate, at Platteyille,
and Rev. Arastus Kent, was pastor of
the First Presby church, at Galena.
/ There was no minister of either denom-
/ ination in Northern Iowa, or westward
of there to the Pacific. Rev. Mr.. Kent
had been in the habit of preaching oc-
casionally at different points on theWis-
| consin side of the state line as well as
at Dubuque.
Sometime previous to the period of
my visiting your section Rev. MIR. Gala
| gaer, from st. Louis a noted enyangel-
| lst had visited the mining region of
| Wisconsin and held revival meetings of
considerable power, and churches had
been organized at Potosi, Platteville,
Mineral Point, and perhaps at Hazel
! Green. But of all these only that at
Platteville had regular preaching Mr..
| Dixon already referred TO. From Platte
vile accompanied Rev. Mr.. Peat to
Potosi and, on reaching there, we found
little band of Christians assembled at
the house of Mr.. afterwards Rev. w.
+. Boardman, engaged in PRAYER that
God would send minister to hold re-
viyal meetings in that fearfullv wicked
/ place We had no idea of this and
they had no knowledge that we were on
our way there, and no sooner was it an
nounced that two ministers were there
than there was a general exclamation
1.-The Lord has heard and answered the
prayers we have been Offering for
| weeks" The brothers at once insisted
/ that we should remain and hold series
of meetings which we were not unwill-
ing to do. But the question arose,
''Where shall the meetings be held?''
| There was no house of worship in the
place, OF hall adapted to the purpose.
but 1t was suggested that there was a
large unoceupied warehouse, that per-
haps might be had. The next day this
was secured and fitted up with rough
board seats and desk for the speakers.
Notices were sent out and on that even
ing services began, which were con-
tinued daily for two or three weeks.
Rev. Mr. Peat and preaching alterna-
tely.
The result was a considerable num-
Der of conversions and very soon brick
meeting house was erected and at no
distant day minister was secured.
This was the first revival in which | ever
labored as minister and the beginning
OF that series of such seasons in which |
was permitted to participate in the min
ming region.
While we were at Potosi Rev. Mr..
Peat requested me to speak Sabbath
at Dubuque, and fill an appointment
which he had made, to preach there |
did so, and on the Monday following.
before left to return 10 Potosi, there
/ was put into my hands n written and
formal call to the passionate of the Du-
4 buque church, which was small Pres
I byterian congregation, which SUISSE
/ quently became the first Congregational
I church in that city. | soon after signi-
4 fled my acceptance of the call, and on
March goth, 1912, began my pastorate
there, which continued twenty-five
! years, excepting an interval of three
/ years, during which | was in Chicago as
editor OF the new Congregational Her.
aid, and engaged in establishing the
New England Congregational church
there. As there was no ecclesiastical
body, either Presbyterian or Congreg-
ational in northern Iowa, my church
and | became connected with the Min
eral Point Convention, just across the
Mississippi, and for several years my
4 chief associations were with the minis
/ tiers and churches of Wisconsin. Dur
/ ing this period | was frequently called
upon TO hold, or assist in holding. re-
/ yival meetings in Grant county aud
/ adjoining regions, including Northwes-
tern Illinois. Among the places which.
| remember where there were interest
ing seasons of refreshing from on high,
are the following; and in several OF
1 them meetings were held more than
once: Fairplay, Platteyille, Lancaster.
/ Potosi, Blake's Prairie. Pi airie du Chen,
Mineral Point, Elk Grove, New Dig
gings, Galena, and think, Shullsburg.
Among the earliest ministerial labor
ers that came to the mineral region.
1 after my first acquaintance with it,
were Rev. DR.. Il. Eddy, now of De-
troit, TO Mineral Point; Rev. J. d.
| Stevens. from Prairie du Chen To
/ Platteyille, as successor of Mr.. Dixon,
who went, think, to Blake's Prairie;
yourself TO Lancaster; Rev. Mr.. Warner
to Potosi and afterwards to Elk Grove.
where he died; Rev. ID. Il. Bradford to
Platteyille, predecessor TO Rev. Mr.
Stevens; Rev. John Lewis to New Dig
gings and afterwards to Plattevile.
With all these brethren my relations
were very pleasant and with some of
them quite intimate. They were all
earnest workers and warm friends of
reyivals and with all of them | was
permitted to cooperate in such seasons,
especially Bros. Eddy, Lewis, and Ste
yens. Some of the reyivals which
marked the early period of which am
speaking were remarkable for their
power, and some of them quite peculiar
in the circumstances in which they Oc-
Cured A volume might be filled with
facts and incidents connected with