The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-10-05

Ing among inc UTcturou VI tho hr1t NonBre
gational Church. They celebrated the fhi
eth university. the semi-centennial, of TIT
founding Of the church in Ottawa.
The exercises were inaugurated on Sunday
morning, Rev. Fsvel BasOom, Of Princeton
pronouncing the benediction.
Rev. NJ. X. Whittlesey, pastor Of tn,
church from 1S4S to 1870, made the princi
pal address, delineating the history Of thu
church during its fifty years Of life as an or
ganized body, as follows:
THE HISTORICAL ADDRESS.
GEN. % 12:-And he dreamed; and be
hold ladder set up on the earth and the top
of il reached TO heaven; and the Lord stood
above 1t. And Jacob awakened out Of his
sleep and he said, surely, the Lord is IN this
place, and knew it not. This is none 9th.
er but the house of God, and this Is the gate
Of heaven.
Man does not always discern and compre.
bend the realities around him, the passing
scenes, the work going on; the presence Of
unseen forces. Happy is he who finds an
interpreter.
"With vision and faculty divine,' to set
forth the issues of good beginnings; the
foundation here, the top reaching heaven;
rude portals here, avenues to the glory yon.
der. I know not how they felt who first
moved for an organization here. do not
care now to speak in detail of those who
carried it forward, or Of others who for a
long series Of years, in one way or other, an
tagonized it. would rather sketch the his
tory Of this church with the feeling and
emotion Of this lone traveller Jacob, who,
taking no thought Of his exile, his wilder
ness travel, his pillow of stones, aching head
and aching heart, could discern and truly
say, "This is none other than the house Of
God, and this is the gate Of heaven Such
to me be the church where made beginnings
and to which my life's best years were given.
Let me approach its history reverently
and recall only Its pleasant Incidents as one
does in the case Of his early home his child.
hood home. He says:
How dear TO this heart are the scenes OF my child
hood;
When fond recollection presents them TO view!
The orchard, the meadow, the deep tangled wild
wood.
And every loved spot which my infancy knew.
The wide spreading pond and the mill that
stood by it,
The bridge and the rock where the cataract fell,
The cot Of my father, the dairy house nigh it,
And cen the rude bucket which hung in the
well.
/. The peculiar circumstances attending
che organization Of this church are suggest
i've Of divine impulse, heavenly inspiration
in those who planted and formed II.
II. Its onward progress discloses di-
vine guardian presence, a fatherly care.
The circumstances Of the organization.
The population was small The people were
poor, were scattered. The country dis
tressed, political excitement high
The population at first clustered chiefly
in the little space that is now South Ottawa.
A Presbyterian church was early organ
ired there. Among first ministers laboring
stately there was Rev. Perry. followed by
Rev. Hazard, succeeded by Rev. Ralph W.
Gridley. Mr.. Gridley came to Ottawa In
June, 1884, to South Ottawa In October. lie
was followed in the spring of 1889 by Rev.
VIM. Whittlesey, for one year.
In 1882, seven years before the organiza,
ton, there were but two houses in what We
now term Ottawa. One or two more and
court house in 1888. In 1884 few more
and hotel, the Mansion House." In 1887
there were only 300 persons oil told on both
sides the river. When this church was or
ganizsd, in 1889, there were only about l, 900
in all this vicinity and Chicago had only
4 900 or 5000. That was SO years ago.
Previous to 80 there had been occasional
Sunday services on this side of the river.
81 It was deemed desirable" said Mr.. white
aey, "to start new church on the north side |
where the town was growing up. And we
formed Congregational church. Rev. Flaw
Of Bascom and Rev. d. Gurley, of Washing.
ton, D. c., were present and assisted with
me in the organization. Mr.. Bascom, and
myself acted as committee of Presbytery."
The meeting was held Friday, Aug. 90 on
The first floor Of Edwards Hall, room often
used for religious service. The building is
IT'LL standing at the corner Of Main and
Clinton streets, ok II, lot A. used as wag
IN shop.
Here the few gathered, awaiting Gods
pleasure; thirteen in all pledged before
Iod TO treat each other with Christian afec-
ion, 10 wstch over one another with tender
less and to pray the Great Head of the
hurch To incline their hearts 10 fulfill their
olenn covenant. II was . memorable year
> orr history. The state was q years old.