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

late to begin now. Those who went away
and remained ten years or more. found many
things changed upon returning, but one
would always remember the homes In which
he had stood beside dying member Of the
congregation, where he had pronounced IN
eulogy. He only looked back upon the past
with one or two regrets, that he had not the
qualities Of Christian in mere amrli6ed
degree and that he had not done more in the
cause OF Jesus Christ. He came here IS an
utter stranger. There was no other Congre.
gational minister within forty miles. There
are now seven times more members aud
Ottawa has seven times the population. All
experiences were not of serious kind. As
new people came in he did his best to be-
come acquainted with them and draw them
to the church. A French family who could
not speak English, and upon whom he call
ed, brought out jug and cup and wanted
him to drink, but he firmly, yet kindly, re-
fused. He called on Scotchman on q
Christmas morning to bid him the time Of
day. The Scotchman offered him glass Of
whisky. ....
THANK you, but do not drink whisky
"Sorry, sir; but have no brandy"
There was also German, not q member
Of the congregation, who wanted to pay him
we'll for bsp,ising child. Let the brethren
look at the things before; let the past en-
courage them.
DR.. friedrich, being called upon, said that
the word Baptist" which Mr.. Day had used
in calling upon him, had aroused him from
q dream, dream in which there were no
Baptists, no Congregationalists-a united
church Of the world. When he was in camp
he had German sutler who was one Of Q
pair of twins who looked much alike. His
brother died and even afterwards, so many
called him by his brothers name he WAS
unable to decide whether it was he or his
brother who was dead. A man had come
here and Whitfield and whitfield away, start
ing the church on its upward course. Now
We rise from the period of Whittlesey to the
period of Day. But when the fifty years
record is written, how large is the little
work and how very great is the great work.
Rev. Edwards, of Marseilles, remembered
the fftieth anniversary at Princeton, where
Bro. Bascom had given history Of the
church. Used to think that it was the duty
of the church to teach men to die, but after
awhile they we're not fit for anything else.
But now he believed II imperative to teach
men to live and then they won't be ft for
anything else but to live. To life right-to
live Chritian life.
Judge HOLSTER expressed joy at coming to
the old church after an absence Of many
years. The church had labored under trials
and difficulties for fly years, but now it
stood upon broad and secure foundation.
Early In the forties there was revival by
Rev. Thos. Powers, and as Q result there
were gathered into the church nearly fifty
members, showing the fellow feeling and
fraternal relations of evangelical churches Of
Ottawa.
Hon. B. C. Cook said that he became q
member of the South Ottawa church in 1885,
when Ralph W. Gridley was pastor. Mr..
Gridley went away when they could not af
ford to keep him any longer. Subsequent
meetings were held in Mechanics Hall,
where all CT the evangelical churches flock
ed together. Elder Bachelor preached in
carpenter shop. Hitchcock preached in
Mechanics Hall. He had public discus
sion with Mormon elder, which created
considerable excitement, several females
joining with the MormoDs. Father Newton,
most excellent man but very poor preach.
er, while in the pulpit told the congrega-
ton that this was "poor preaching but it
was not costing them cent These men
were the pioneers. There was o tent sent
out here and in it his father and Mr.. Grid.
ley held services. He believed that the
church influence had been boon for Otta-
wa, but more could have been done and
more should be done.
The evening closed with the singing of
"Blest be the tie that binds" and the
taking of collection for the new church at
Danway, to be dedicated ON Oct. 18th.