The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1893-09-29

months supplied the pulpit, preaching in
the old court house There were seven
accessions during that time. Rev. H. R.
Avery was the next minister and he re-
| manned with the church two years and
received into the membership twenty
| three A call was extended to DR.. E. r.
Geary at this time to become. the pastor
of the church but he could not accept
1t is worthy of mention here that while
j the church was without minister, for a
| few months stated services were main
tanned by the elders and several persons
nnited with the church. Rev. R. Wyle
came in 1864 as the third minister and
was installed pastor in October of that
| year. During his pastorate of two years
| twenty-three persons united with the
| church
Following Mr.. Wy1e came Rev. w. ].
| Monteith, who rema. ned a year at this
| time and six months at another time.
| There were six additions to the church
during his ministry. In I867-oS Rev. A.
| Simpson served the church as its minis
| ter. This seemed to be the year when
many members of the church left Cor
wallis, thus depicting the membership of
| the church. There were three accessions
during this period. After an interim of
six months Rev. D. K. Nesbit became
pastor and was with the church five
years. Fifteen persons connected them
selves with the church while Rev. Mes
bit was pastor.
Nov. sd, 1874, Rev. ]. G. Downing be-
gan his ministry, remaining .but one
year, during which time eight united
with the church. Rev. James. F..
Knowles commenced his labors in JAM,
1876, and continued nearly year. There
were ushered into the church in this
time twen ty-three. December I, 1876,
Rev. H. P. Dunning became the minister
in charge and was installed pastor, re-
naming seven years; thirty-six joined the
church during his ministry. For short
time after Mr.. Dunning's leaving the
church was without regular pastor, but
two Or three Cody men, among whom
was our beloved brother Rev. J. M.
| Hogue, and few elect women, sustained
the prayer meetings and occasional ser
vices were held by different ministers
| till Rev. E. R. Murgatroyd came as a
supply every alternate Sabbath. While
| the circumstances were somewhat un-
favorable and the misfortune of having
service but every other Sabbath serious
hindrance to real progress, yet the church
was strengthened and the congregation
| increased. Four were added to the
church under Brother Murgatroyd's mill
istry. Rev. Jno. Reid, of most pleasant
memory, entered upon the duties of
stated supply of the church November T.,
1885, and continued his 1abors one year
with the greatest acceptance and profit to
the whole church and congregation.
Under his ministrations the church was
greatly encouraged and inspired and it
was sad disappointment when i'll health
compelled Brother Reid to cease his
work. Five members were added during
this year. November I, 1886. your pres
ent pastor began the work which he has
been permitted by divine help to con-
tinue until the present time, or nearly
seven years. It was great privilege and
blessing to follow in the footsteps of so
able and faithful and successful pastor
as Brother Reid. Though the church
was small in numbers yet it was great IN
faith, and united in heart and hand and
the few men and elect women were full
of push and work. On the roll there
were but twenty-three names; and
only fifteen of these were in Corvallis.
Mr.. Caleb Davis was then the only ruling
elder and most faithfully and wisely had
he guarded and directed the sacred in.
terests of the church in its days of trial,
till its days of triumph began to dawn.
! During the present pastorate I4o per
sons have joined. the church. Seven
have died, twenty-three have been dis
missed and fifteen dropped. The present
enrolment is 126; the oldest Mrs. Jane
Ash, goth year, the youngest Minnie
Prichard, I3th year. There have beer
. $40 names on the church roll since it
: organization When it is taken into con
. sideration that the growth of Corvalli
during the last four decades has beer
| very slow and steady the growth of th'
church from four to $40 corresponds ver.
well with the increase Of the population
II Some of the prominent men ant
i women of the city, county and state hav'
been connected with this church and il
many of the churches on this coast vii
be found to-day members from Presbyte
: rian church and congregation of corva1
t lis. The fact that it is the only Presby
terian church on the North Pacific coas
which has had continuous growth fo
/ forty years is enough to emphasize it
historic importance and give it place o
t honor amoung our churches. 1t ha
, called to its pulpit some of our ables
/ ministers, three of whom have gone u
their reward.
: Revs. w. ]. Monteith, D. Z. Nesbi