The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1884-02-26
Dedication of the New Nj. E. Church
at Stafford.
STAFFORD, OHIo, Feb. 20, 1884

STAFFORD, OHIo, Feb. 20. 1884
Ed SPIRIT: Ia accorlsnce with.a pre.
vious announcement. last Sabbath, Feb.
II, our new M E. Church was dedica-
tel, Rev: Mills, P: E Of Cambridge
District, officiating
Sabbath School was held at o'clock
A. NJ, after which the Elder gave the
school q short talk which was well re
ceived, as he said some very pretty
things about the school and seemed well
pleased with it. Owing to the very un-
favorable weather and the bad condition
of the roads there were not as many
present as was expected, and yet when
the hour for the morning sermon-at 10
o'clock A. M.-had arrived qnite large
congregation were assembled and Rev
Mills preached a very able and eloquent
sermon from the text found 10 Isaiah
All chapter and 4th verse;.
The report OF the Building Committee
was then called for by' the K Elder; the
com mittee composed of the following
persons, T.B Dav, Capt Thos. Wilson
Isaac Hogue, DR.. A L. Curtis, Frederick
Ullman and Silas King. reported that
the house, furniture, d.. had cost in
round numbers about $1,000, and was
all paid or secured to be paid excep,
S406. which they asked the congregation
to raise that day. An effort bang made
to raise that sum resulted In $500 being
secured from the congregation; the com
mittee then egreed to assume the Sl06
Tbe church was then declared free from
debt and clear of any incu cumbrance, and
was in due form then dedicated to Al.
mighty God
Elder Mills passed quite complimen,
on the building. He. said it was the
neatest, best arranged and most conve.
nient for the purp, ,se it was huilt OF any
NJ. E. Church on Cambridge District,
which includes portion of five conn-
ties
He also eulog'Ead the contractor, Mr.
Isaac Abmeyer, for his honest workman.
ship, saying that he had examined the
building ier some defect in material cr
workmanship and could find none. He
said the only thing he was sorrv TO hear
was that Mr. Abmeyer was going to lose
money on the contract, hut the church
would be monument to bis honesty
The building committee is deserving
great praise for their untirinq energy,
besides their liberal contributions, 10
pushing forward the completion OF our
beautiful church. In tact the whole
community contributed literally The
ladies Mite Society did excellent work IN
raising monev to finish the church.
At 3 o'clock P. M Rev. Wahls preach.
ed a very interesting discourse. He is a
yoang man, but bids fair to do great
work for the Master. Elder Mills preach.
ed another able discourse in The evening
to tull house.
After the congregation had been dis
missed and were on their wav home, ma.
ny having not yet reached their homes,
the cry OF fire was heard and on looking
back at the e'ehurch from whence the cry
came, the beautiful structure was appa-
rently enveloped in flames on reaching
it, we discovered that the large chande-
lier holding six lamps, and which hung
over the center aisle, had fallen anil was
broken in pieces, saturating the mating
with about gsllon OF oil which had ta-
ken fire and but for the presence Of mind
and heroic conduct of VIM. Cavanaugh
and David Knapp the only persons who
we're present at the time,the house would
surely have been burnt to the ground.
They fought the flames as best they
could until they had succeeded In tearing
up the mating and rushing from the
church. The flames were extinguished
having damaged the church TO the extent
OF perhaps $50 or $40 No insurance
Had the accident happened while the
congregation were yet in the church the