Omaha daily bee., 1897-08-02
FOUR DECADES OF SUCCESS
First Congregational Church of Fremont
and Its Proud Record.
FORTY YEARS OF CHRISTIAN EFFORT
Celebration of the Anniversary of the
Founding of the First Church in
Dodge County Made
Memorable Event.

Memorable Event.
FREMONT, Neb., Aug. 1.-Cspecial) Forty
years ago tomorrow the late Rev. Isaac Il.
Heaton organized the First Congregational
church of this city, the second church of
the denomination to be organized in the
etate and the first religious organization o,
any kind in the county. Today this church
with its friends and invited guests cele-
brated this important event in the annals
OF Congregationalism with appropriate sery-
ices at the church. Long before the regular
hour for morning worship the spacious edi-
fee was filled with large audience which
was noticeable for the number of elderly
people, The pioneers OF this city and county,
who were present The decorations of the
church were elaborate and arranged win
great ekill and taste. The pillars along the
front of the church and the sides of the
chancel were draped with punches OF ripe
grain: the arch between the main audience
room and the parlors was festooned with
large strings of evergreen and asparagus
caught up and fastened at the center with
the monogram &c. E." iii gilt. In front Of
the pulpit was a life-size crayon portrait
of Rev. Isaac L. Heatou, founder of the
church, and around the pulpit were grouped
palms and banks of cut flowers. The musical
serviceo under the direction of Mrs. Jean A.
Boyd were especially appropriate for the
occasion. The numbers were as follows:
Anthem Gloria" (Mozart's Twelfth Mass,
by a double quartet; anniversary hymn,
composed for the occasion by Rev. w. H.
Buss, by choir and congregation; response,
Hear Us, o Father" hymn composed for
the occasion by Rev. Samuel Pearson OF
West Point. by choir and congregation;
offertory, Loving Kindness" Uoud), Mrs
f. s. Harrison; anthem, 20 Thou Who
Hearest Prayer" (Chadwick) choir; hymn
Il Love Thy Church, o God choir. The
reading of the scripture lesson was by Dr.
Harmon Bross of Lincoln, the first prayer
by Rev. L. +. Berry of Ottumwa, Ia, the
second prayer by Rev Samuel Pearson of
West Point. and the benedction was pro-
nourcea by DIR. j. ID. Stewart of Aurora.
The anniversary sermon delivered by
Rev. w. II. Buss and his subject "The APP
peal of Our God-Kept Past" his text being
Deuteronomy iii and iv 8.
EARLY DAYS OF THE CHURCH.
The history of this church, he said. may
be expressed in the words of the text, These
forty years the Lord our God has been with
u.s." In reviewing the evidences of this fact
the history of the church he divided into four
decades. The first he denominated the
foundation period The church was organized
Rev. Isaac Z. Heatoa, who came here in
1856, after nineteen years work in the home
missionary field in the then new state of
Wisconsin. Mr.. Heaton arrived here on the
2Sth day of October of that year. accompanied
by his family. At that time there were less
than score of people here, about 500 in
Omaha and not over 5000 in the entire state
The first sermon ever delivered in this re-
gon he preached the following Sunday at
the residence of S. p. Marvin. The follow
ing August the church was organized, with
seven MEMBERSHIP pastor, his wife and
father, Messrs Barnard, Davis and Pierce
and Mrs. Alicia Marvin. During the period
of the civil war Rev. Mr.. Heaton's pulpit gave
fnrtl lin lie inHp
exerted for the triumph of liberty and patriot
ism. The first church edifice owned by the
organization was a small frame build
ing originally intended a residence. In
1867 a new edifice of frame, 2Sx44 feet with
dome, tower aud bell, was erected and dedi-
Gated on the eleventh anniversary of its or
ganization. During the successive pastorates
of Revs. Chase, Foster and Porter the church
increased in numbers. power and influence
During the third decade, which he called the
period of enlargement the old church proved
too small, the present commodious church
edifice was erected and valuable organ pur-
chased and the membership multiplied by
four. The first five years Of the fourth decade
were years OF great material prosperity and
the church shared in this righteousness
During the last five years God has been
merciful to us. The church property has not
only been kept free from debt, but materially
increased. "A spirit of unity develops ana
grows from strength to strength.
He paid an eloquent tribute to the founder
OF the church as a citizen, as patriot and
as a man of God. The past appeals to us to
faithfully deliver its sacred message to the
rising generation, to surrender not the old
and tried principles of the fathers, to dis
Germ that the secret OF their loyalty and
growth was strong, clear sense and accept
ance of individual responsibility and fidelity
to duty.
"REMINISCENCES.
At 4 o'clock a memorial service was held
at the church. which was of especial inter-
est to the older members Of the church, the
addresses consisting largely of "reminiscences.
After scripture reading and prayer by Rev.
Amos Dresser, short addresses were made
and papers read by many of the older men,
bers Hon. e. w. Barnard. one OF the
original members, spoke of the difficulties
and sacrifices attending the management of
the church during its early history. At one
time the material had been purchased for the
erection OF a building, but some wandering
Indians set fire to II and 1t was burned. Mrs.
Mary Gaylord spoke of the part taken by the
women in pioneer religious life. Mrs.
Miranda Heaton, widow of Rev. Isaac e.
Weaton, told of their trip to Nebraska how
providence seemed to point the way to this
city and of the small and seemingly insight
fcant beginnings of the church. Remarks
were also made by Rev. l.. F. Berry, Deacon
Harlow Goff and DR.. Harmon Bross AT the
close of the remarks the sacrament OF the
communion was administered by Rev. Amos
Dresser and DR., BroSS.
The Sunday evening service was of espe-
cial interest. There were no services at the
other churches and the capacity OF the
building was taxed to the utmost. The music,
as at the morning service, was worthy of
especial mention.
GROWTH OF CHRISTIANITY.
After brief address by Rev. J. b. Chase
of Correctionvile Ia, the second pastor of
the church. Rev. l.. F. Berry Of Ottumwa,
Ia, spoke on Modern Christianity; Is 1t
Coming Nearer to the Standard of Christ's
Teachings" The term modern Christianity
he defined as Christianity as IT is commonly
seen in the life of the Christian of today,
the outward aspects of which are to be
found in the life of the average Christian.
The question OF his subject he answered in
the affirmative. and as proof thereof spoke
of the manifest thrusting forward of
Christianity into the centers of the life OF the
time. 1t was formerly taught that the
Christian has no room for the great inter-
ests, political, social, artistic, scientific and
economical which exercise and train the
faculties OF mankind. The real separation
of the Christian from the world should be in
spirit rather than in the outward relations
and intimacies of life. The province of
Christianity is enlarging and making itself
felt in all departments of ife-in social, in
dustrial and political realms, in the govern
ment of municipalities and in the demand