St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-01-28
Grace CONGREGATIONAL Church.

Grace Congregational Church.
In our short account in yesterdays GLOBE
of the proceedings attending the dedication of
Grace Congregational church there were
various matters of interest we were unable to
reach in reference thereto. The dedication
of the church vas made to agree with the
regular meeting of the Minnesota Congre-
gational club, and they were invited to hold
their meeting here and become the guests of
the congregation. They accordingly met in
the new church to the numbers of about 100,
and they were treated TO as good spread as
they could get up in any of their home
churches. The ladies fairly excelled them
selves. Besides the club, there were other
invited guests, including Prof. Curtis and wife
with several of the teachers of our schools.
The supper over the club proceeded to bust
ness, DR.. Hutchins presiding in the chair.
The only business tran sacted was of rou
tine character, and the admission of mem
bers. The officers were not elected as that
is business for the annual meeting. Their
next meeting will be held in ST. Paul, in
Park church.
An address was then delivered by DR..
Hutchins, which, with the other things fol-
lowed, were of a rival nature. He was fol-
lowed by Rev. C. w. Merrill, of Pilgrim
church, Minneapolis. At this stage it was
found that there was still q small debt of
1868 on the church, and while they were talk
ing up subscription for that amount, which
was mostly paid in cash, DR.. Dana
called attention to the fact that the Presby-
terian parish, Saltwater, had done liberal
things for Grace church, about 81, 600. This,
however, Rev. Mr.. Kicker corrected, men
tioning the sum to be about $1,000. This
would be nearly one-fourth of the whole cost,
lot and building. OF this $1,000, $1,000
was given by Isaac Staples and Senator D.
NJ Sabin, both Pensioners of Rev. DIR. Carr
roll. statement of the affairs of the church
was made by the pastor elect of Grace church,
Rev. Geo s. Kicker, and showed that with
the S277 subscribed that evening, the whole
| cost WAS provided for, and a surplus over.
| This was received with applause. The Rev.
E. NJ Williams, of Minneapolis, offered the
| dedcatory prayer, and the exercises closed
| with the doXology.
| The choir of the church added much to the
enjoyment of the evening. The choir is
composed, of Mr.. and Mrs. E. r. Jones, Miss
| Benson and Rodney Jones, while Miss II. C.
| Boutwell, presided at the organ.
There is an excellent feeling existing in
| this church between the pastor and his con-
| gregation, and wide field of usefulness is
opened through the erection of the edifce.
We will give short synopsis of the estab-
| ishment of the chusch here and the work
accomplished.
The pastor elect, Rev. Geo. s. Kicker, was
| sent to this field towards the end of May,
| 1888, by the American Home Missionary
society of the Congregational church. They
first began services in tent, which was
pitched on one of the two large lots which
were secured in July, at the corner of Filth
and Laurel streets, and on Sept. II the
church was organized with membership of
| fourteen, which has increased to twenty-six
at the present time, and no communion SER
vice has been held without addition to the
church. During the winter of 1884, the
congregation worshipped in the Swede Mis-
sion church on Fourth street, but on the
approach of summer took up their old quar-
| tiers in the tent.
In the spring of 1884 they secured plans
| for the erection of O church, which plans
were given free of charge from personal
| friend of MIR. Kicker in the east. In May
| 1884 contract was entered into with Mr.
Thomas Roney to construct the handsome
edifice just dedicated, and he filed his con-
tract satisfactorily from basement to cope
stone. The church is 67x33 feet aud is built
of brick. 1t is lighted by two large
gothic windows, with several smaller
ones. At the east end is a large class
room, with the PASTORS study above. This
| is an airy, well lighted, comfortable room,
with appropriate furniture. There is gas
throughout the buildings and it is well heated
| from furnace in the basement. AS a
whole, the congregation has a well con-
structed edifce with EXCELLENT acoustic proper
ties. From the following statement of assets
and expenditures, 1t may be seen that full
value has been named in the property: