Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1891-04-16

call,d) aud our present excellent loca-
ton is evidence OF his superior judg-
mcnt In selecting u church site, and also
of the generosity Of the g., II. |. Il p. X.
X. Co., as the lots were donated by the
company. At the conference OF 1873
Rev. Detwiler was secured by Rev. J.w.
Lewis, under whose passionate the class
J In Audubon was organized. At the first
quarterly conference of this year, held
at Irwin, Nov. Z, 1878, the pastors salary
was placed at $500, and apportioned as
follows: Irwin, S225; Viola. $500; Au-
dubon, 500; Diggs, $50. This would
Indicate that the membership OF that
quarterly conference had faith In
the new town; for there had not up to
this time been any religious service In
the town, neither was there public
building in which services could be
held. hut the school building on Dav-
export street was then In course OF con-
struction aud on Dec. 18th following the
first service was held, being sermon
by Rev. j. w. Lewis, the congregation
consisting OF fourteen persons, of which
number the writer alone remains In Au-
dubon. From this time on services were
held every two weeks. First In the
above mentioned school house, then In
the court house, and later In the new
school building, and finally In the pres
cnt church. AS time passed the seryi-
ccs were increased to one service each
sunday, aud later TO two services.
The second quarterly meeting for the
year OF $50, was held In Audubon,
Feb. and ., 1870, ut which time 4. III.
Roberts was elected trustee for Audubon
and committee appointed to solicit
funds FOR the erection OF u parsonage In
town. The committee did not meet with
the success deemed necessary In order
to undertake the work, SO the matter
was dropped.
The first communion service held In
the town was at this meeting, and Audu-
bon was reported as having paid $500
to support the ministry.
On April 10, 20, our Sunday school
was organized aud the following officers
elected: Supt.. A. II. Roberts; Assistant
Supt., Chester Wheeler; Secretary, Miss
Kate Cameron; Treasurer, Il. w. Bcgh-
tol, Number Of scholars present, %.
For more than a year this was the only
Sunday school In town. Some time dur
Ing the same month our society, or class,
was organized and Bro. NJ. ID. Bailey
| appointed leader.
At the third quarterly meeting ut lr-
win, May |, +. W. Bcghtol, :. II. Schry-
yer and Chester Wheeler were added To
the board OF trustees. AZ the fourth
quarterly meeting II resolution was
passed requesting the name OF the cir
cult be changed from llamlin to Audu-
bon. Accordingly the annual confer
ence In Sept, 40, changed the name tO
Audubon circuit aud sent Rev. A. W.
Armstrong ms pastor, whose salary was
placed at $500, apportioned rs follows
| Audubon, $50; Irwin, $50: Viola,
$50; Cameron, $50, the Dlggs appoint.
ment being dropped. sept. 22d, the
board OF trustees, composed OF l.. Nc
| kinley, Chester Wheeler, i. A. Miller,
:. II. Schryycr aud A. II. Roberts exc
cuted articles Of incorporation as pro,
riled by the laws Of the state, aud steps
were taken looking toward the erection
OF u church edillcc, II subscription being
started headed with three $50 subscrip-
lions. Tho first money paid toward the
enterprise was ~ by :. W. Smith, Sept
2G, 40.
After the completion OF the court
house we were permitted to use II until
January, 1850, when through tho kind.
1
moss OF the board OF directors we were
permitted 10 iurhish anu use the east up
stairs room In the new school building.
This we continued TO use the balance Of
Of the year. The trustees having put In
the foundation on May l,th, tho contract
for enclosing the church was awarded
To X. a. Chaplin for Sl.375.
At the It'll quarterly conference held
July II, the trustees In their report said
ave have during the year incorporated
according To law and have received M u
donation from the H. |. u. II, Co., lots
26 and ~, block Of Audubon, upon
which we have In course OF construction
church 3Ox5O with corner tower 10
no. The contract for enclosing the same
including laying the floor, was awarded
to II. A. Chaplin for $3.50, We have
received from tho Church Extension So
ciety $500. $500 n u donation aud $500
rs loan
Although Bro. A. w. Armstrong
had been In the ministry but one year.
yet he took hold OF matters with II mas
ter hand, doing great amount Of hard
aud faithful work during tho summer IN
soliciting, collecting, etc, aud eycn 10
performing of manual labor on tho
building, for well do ! remember hav-
Ing seen him seated upon u scaifold near
the top OF the belfry, with brush In hand
doing the work OF an artisan. Ito closed
a very acceptable year In September, In
proof OF which he received from the
class IN town S223.05, being 5000 In OK
cess OF our apportionment, the outside
points. however, not having paid their
apportionmcnt In full, Thlrty-elgh,
wprp racfivpd by lpttpr on the circuit
during this year Rev. W. &. Smith was
the next pastor coming In Sept, 1880
whose salary was fixed at 5000 and Sl2O
Tor house rent, the preaching points be.
ing the same as on the previous year.
After many hard struggles by tho OIL
| plal members, for you must remember
we had no wealth IN the church then
unless u was y wealth OF perseverance
and trust IN God, the church was In De
cenlber ready Tor dedication, having
cost about $4,000. Presiding Elder smith
conducted the dedication services on
Doc. 18Th, at which time $3.50 were
raised and the church cleared OF indcbt
edness excepting the $500 due the church