The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1892-12-15
CENTRE IF Err AID
THURSDAY. Dec. IS. 1892.
SILVER WEDDING.
The First congregational Church
Celebrates the Quarter Centen.
NAL of It's Organization.

The First CONGREGATIONAL Church
Celebrates the Quarter Centen.
NAL of it's Organization.
The siIvef wedding of the Congrega-
tional church was commemorated on
Thursday, Dec. list, by appropriate SER
vices. The exercises were Of rare inter-
est, and were listened to with the closest
attention. To all who were present it
will be a memorable day. At 2'30 p. m.
Rev. IA. Wool the present pastor called
the meeting to order and on motion was
elected chairman and d.. Rich scribe.
The usual devotional exercises followed
and then came series Of historical
papers.giving an account of the different
activities of the church. A very full and
interesting account of the beginning and
growth of the church was given in
paper by Rev. A. J.. Pike, which is
published herewith. This was followed
by letters from former pastors. When
Rev. A. K. Fox. the organizer of the
church came from Monticello in Sept.
1866, Sank Centre was hamlet of $50,
just rallying from the effects of the In
dian out break. There we've three other
ministers here ais. all of whom by turns
expounded the word in an old govern
ment building which was bought at
government auction sale by L. E. Tubbs
for $500, shingles and all. It's price
depended on the fact that pine lumber
was $35 and $40 per thousand. The
little town was full of enterprise and
business center. There were four hotels.
five large general stores and two or
three groceries besides, all doing large
business. The two financial magnates
were Alexander Moore and Henry eager,
with S. Pendergast, c. Walker and ].
Capser following short after. There was
no protestant meeting house withinsixty
miles. In the spring of Y. the Presby-
terians and Congregationalists began to
build opposite each other on Main-st.
and strove for first place. The Congre-
gationalists building the smaller house,
dedicated first in November which was
the first protestant church northwest of
St. Cloud. This IS now the store to the
west of the post Office, and the Presby-
terrain edi6ce dedicated a month later, is
the present Congregational church.
The big freshet came that summer;
eight inches of rain fell in twenty-four
hours and the water took every bridge
and mill and all lumber between here and
St. Cloud. Mr.. Moore started after his
mill in a skiff, going to St. Cloud and in
two months had another mill cutting
lumber. Mr.. Fox on account of poor
health closed his work with Aug. 1868,
leaving church of seventeen members.
Previous to Mr.. Fox's coming, Rev. c.
S. Harrison labored at Sank Centre and
other places, preaching his first sermon
here in the winter of 1860. There was
then but one house on the present town
site, and only three or four about here.
He went away in the spring of 1862
Rev. A. J. Pike followed Mr.. Fox, under
his labors the church grew to about
sixty members, and ladies aid society
was formed.
A letter from Mr.. Cory was read in
which he tells how he came as a student
supply for the summer of rs, for his
A-----ii:---- - - i.~.-A -.~>---.I
BY the grasshopper scourge the farms
for two years had been swept clean Of
every thing but the mortgages. AS he
looked out upon the wild woods from
the cars and from stage which he took
at Melrose, he was prepared for great
surprise. When he came to Sank Centre
he found beautiful town of 1900 peo
pie with much of the cream of eastern
culture, instead of Buffalo Bills and
natural wild west shows and OK steeds
NJ. A. ]. Smith took him out that even
ing ii. his double carriage with coach
man to sociable at o. B. Boobar's
Then l was glad in nv heart that haG
brought with me my best suit. 1t haG
bee,i question as to whether it would
be regulate in Minnesota and comics
that while coming through the woods
the thought OF its presence in the trunl
made me laugh. That first night in Saul
Centre l shall not soon forget coule
not sleep. My vision of fishing. hunting
resting and talking were cruelty dis
PEELED. The cultured people whom
met, would never endure the kind O
talking l had planned. must make ser
mons"
The mutual pleasure of the summc,
brought him back in 1879 to a fou1
years pastorate. In October OF thu
next year he preached his mortgage
Sermon" which resulted in raising thu
debt on the church, $1,000. Just afte,
the sermon a trusted member said
you've made your first mistake, an
other, Don't want any more mortgage
sermons in that church." At church
meeting called to see about raising the
debt, banker Smith said Am no speech
maker-haven't much to say, just came
in to see what the balance against the
church is-will pay one-halt of it if the
church will pay the balance" And il
was done st most joyful Christmas
that year, "a royal Christmas" From
that very day the spirit of God
seemed to be upon us IN showers of bless
ing. and the church came to self support
A very cordial letter was read from Rev
c. H. Elmer, the last pastor of the Pres
byterian church, now of Crookston. He
came by stage from St. Cloud, December
20, 1868. to the home of Sidney Irish
In summer trip to Fl. Abercrombie By
team. with Mr.. Pike, he was hostler and
Mr.. Pike look, but each presented him
self at the fort in shining boots.
Since leaving here Mr.. Elmer has hat
a pastorate of fourteen and hall year: