The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1883-02-08
no THE LIVING GOD.
Dedication Of the New NJ Z. Church of
EmporIa.

EmpOria.
a Proud nay for the Members and
Friends or that Denomination
over Ten Thousand Dollars Raised 10
Provide for an Indebtedness
OF o0.3O2.
DedicasOry sermon by Rev. Dr.. Adams
Of Wesleyan University of
BIOominGtOn, minOis
/ History OF the Church In EmpOrIs-
Description OF the New EGIhee-Rs-
port OF Yesterdays Services Sc.
| One Of the essential elements OF
Christianity is growth. The pentecos-
tai baptism which descended with the
sound of mighty, rushing wind upon
the disciples gathered In the little upper
room AT Jerusalem, nearly 1000 years
ago, energized forces which. within the
short period OF n single generation, in
vaded the cultured centers Of Greece
and Rome and stamped their indelible
| impress upon the classical civilization
of those mighty empires. And thus,
all along the line of the ages, since the
founder of the worlds best faith COM
missioned his disciples 10
"eo AND PREACH THE GOSPEL
to every creature" the all-conquering
zeal of the army which is marshsied
under the banner of the cross. has
triumphed over the fires of persecution ;
the sword of the spirit has proved po-
tent to the oyer.nrning of strong holds /;
and the church militant in the face OF
tribulation, distress and peril. has PROV
ed more than victorious over all its
foes, and stands confessed in This. the
high noon-dzy of the worlds best civil
ization
THE GREAT cENTER
from which radiale those mighty, moral
and intellectual influences which have
wrought the splendid achievements of
this golden age.
The history of the Methodist chprch
in Emporia has proved y striking ex
empliflcation of tina, spirit of aggres-
sion which is The genius OF Christian
ty, aud which, il may be said, is pecu.
liariy characteristic OF q chgrch which
is recognized as
THE GREAT PIONEER
in the work Of evangslIzing the world.
AT as remote a date in the history of the
town as 1857, little band of believers,
numbering seven men and women, or
ganized themselves into a congregation
and sst up bethel on the then virgin
prairie aud from this small beginning,
and in face of sli The discouragements
and vicissltndes VIII ich besHl the path of
the early Kansas settler. the Chpreh was
prospered of God, and multiplied ia
numbers, until now il has q membership
of 800. and woTships in one of the
MOST SPLENDID EDIFICEs
in our glorious young commonwealth
In connection With the present sDlendid
prosperity and encouraging faiuFe Of
the church. the following stretch If its
PAST HISTORY
may not be uninteresting:
Rev. Henry Moyes, whose privilege il
VSs 70 be present al the dedication of
the new church, vac the frat Methodist
preacher 10 come to Emporia, snd IN
1857 he organized little congregation
who worshippcd for some three or four
years in what was then known as
j NC ELFREsH's HALL,
. small wooden hgiIdiEg WHICH stood
on the present site of r D Thomas
fine brick block on Commercial street.
In 1850 the work nf building the house
of worship which has given place to she
splendid edifice at the corner Of Ninth
apS HeEcksnts was commenced.
We talE about Jhe dlBcnl;ies 81 build,
ing now. This church was undertaken
when there was probably not q man ia
Emporia worth $4,000 net. II cost, al
that time, in the neighborhood of 81, 600
The Me1hodists TeFe few in number and
poor. on the 12th of May, o. thai year
sn advertisement appeared iEvi ing btd'
for the work. The committee, of Whiet
]. b. Cox, at last accounts in Ohio. wa
chairman, and j. NJ Rankin, now 1
Christian elder Al Burlington, Kansas
was seereiaEy, gsye notice that the co..
/, tracts "would be paid iFo-ihtrds in gn"C
trade" j. c. Fraker Was the preaehe
on the circuit In the fall Oi that yea
= be made n
BEGGING T3Ua FFRpVeH THE EAST
in behalf of the church Tbe val
4 were put up some ten or twelve feel ia
year, the masonry being done by NJ
Burt. Who. in 1851, was killed al Ia
battle of Springfield. Miss"gr OWN!
. to the celebrated dIOuth of thai soar an!
the war, the work rested. At ih qnu
!, terly COnit renee IA June. 1851, Il. Il
/ PlEML. gov seua'Ur, J II Sw"l!O~
lately decreased ~ T':arks. al d.. j
F. NeN1n!., Nh tit TAaIIis - "a i'ii- a
the founders at OSW-g IA ss-. 4hri
be died SOME yea 1so. W.T. ri Ell
the building comm tie, md " ell /
vas made Ia C nnpI,t thr church ]. l.:
: WIS Accomplished. In 1861 Rev. job
McAnuiiy. srili a DeFher ei lhe G nj. !
n enee. and how Il CnyvIll WIS q
n county, was upon the Circuit. Ia 1876
;. Rev. J. w. Stewart came her., and ia
effort 10 complete the building Mas
PUSHED WITH CONSIDERABLE VIGos
L J. G. FrGE5F, Thomas Murdoch An
+ Stewart were tue bgildieg G.'EI:i; e
More work was done Stewart wts re
turned TO EmpOria by the next cODieI
e ence, but got into difficulties whic
s were anything but cEedilabie Ia n mini
: ter, and was compelled to leave IN Inn
His place vas tskeR by Rev. ! Nj. Earl
harttwho preached hrFe aRd AZ Campo
o Grove. The building vas enclosed l
8, 1893, and used. with temporary stat
IF and We think without plastsIing. I'll
3. building was used COED deal for pm
lie meetings. We remember aItendin
- g meeting there al which one of the ca
!. ly agricultural sonietiea vas organize
e in which the late r. H. Abraham. ar
David Plumb, father of Senator Plum
figured conspicuously.
On the 26th of June, 1864,
THE CHURCH WAS DEDICATED
2. by Beg. D. p. Mitchell. then of Leave
a worth. BOW deceased. The depomin
ton 1t once gained permanent foo
hold here and grew and prospered.
m 1865 Rev. F. D. 10y, then as now
IL Americas, was sent to this place by 4
III n. E. conference. In 1866 EmpoT
Id vas made station, and ]. F. Leard W
OF put in charge. The same year the par
of the district YVES changed 20 EmpOr
, He was followed the next year by s.
"A NcBurneyl who WIS one Of The abb
Sc ministers in the conference. but W
-, lacked judgment and became embroil
In personal difficulties, as well as in I
female suffrage contest that ragged oS
the state like a prairie FIRE.