Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1897-01-16
A MEMORIAL SERMON

what more encouraging no nio piihS'f'o'
were better understood, and the continual
cutting or of the unworthy made 1t clear
that nothing was to be gained by lmpos-
ture. Members were received from Los
Alamos, Ocate, Aqua Negra and ri Rito,
and many of them continue to this day
substantial, trusty and Cody men,.
Mr.. Az, records show that ne made
frequent trips to these localities, convers-
ing with the people, receiving them into
the church, and administering the sacra-
ments where he felt warranted In so doinS.
These missionary journeys seem TO nave
become ~a.leading feature OF his worK In
the later years of his life here. the held In
las Vegas affording little opportunity for
progress, as a determined opposltion nsa
"The Jesuits.n he writes, "came to Las
Vegas up through Old Mexico In 1874,
Italian Jesuits, l think they were, learned
and eloquent, and almost entirely broke up
nv work".. -. The only feature OF local
opposition previous to IA, was the ACTIVITY
of the priests in that vicinity and especial.
Nv the L. " Or est. He threatened and
stormed and forbade his people to send
children to my school He was little re-
Rarded. The priesthood was French. Inc
original Mexican priesthood had been as
placed by the Pope years before. ana there
was an alienation on the part of the people
from the French priesthood. Hence the
priest vas comparatively little regarded.
The country was full neck-deep OF stories
or statements of the rapacity and extor-
tion Of priests, not to speak OF otner tnings.
When the Italian Jesu,ts came In "a, they
pretty much destroyed my work, and
would nave gladly destroyed NO."
These facts account for the larger atten.
ton given to the adjacent country, and the
hindrances here res ulted in the wide ex-
tension of the work.
The Presby terry Of Santa Fe had been
formed on the 4th day Of uec. 1868, con-
sistiug Of three ministers, all there were in
the Territory. Its second meeting was
held at Santa Fe, April 18th, 10, ana at
that time Mr.. A. was received into TINS
Prssbytery from the P~resbytery OF South
ern Minnesota, where be had previously
labored in the towns of Lake City and Red
Wing. In Nov. IA, he was made Stated
Clerk of this Presby terry and so continued
till his departure in 80. This Presbs terry
was then attached to the Synod OF Kansas
One of Mr.. AIS first undertakings was
to provide q Protestant church bulldog 10
Las Vegas. or this movement he gives
the Fl. acct: "Not many days after l
reached Las Vegas. possibly a month, !
think not m IRE than two weeks, l Invited
some 10 or Is or 20 of the business men OF
the place to meet In one OF the omcos GOWN
town. Dold's, or Dold q ChipnAn's. 1
told them | wanted to see them ana taik
with them, to tell tuem who L was, on
what business l had come, etc. l invited
them to question me, | believe. l spoke OF
the PROBABILITY, or the intention, in 10 long
time OF having buildings, etc. Inen An
dres Dold sad: When you get ready to
build, you shall have a iot OF your onoos-
ing, not on the Plaza They all assented
I think. bold redeemed that promise most
honorably. When l said Ready he
went Immediately to work, and in a lew
hours the amount was raised 80,
The lot thus secured was that on which
- 49, - I.--I -~.u afAnd0 T. MIS-
Al that time nave been separate properly
from the rest of the present Mission
premises, Among the contributors to this
nurcna. were Andres Dold, Frank Chap
man, Chas. Kitcn n aud May Hays. In
the spring of III the work OF pulioing
was begun, and was finished, Mr.. a states,
within two wears thereafter, in 10. Inc
finds for the building itself came mainly
from the Ass citation of Ladies In New
Vork in connection with which Mr.. A.
was working. But one other source OF
financial help must not be forgotten. rOur
friend ana brother, The writes" Jose fne1
P.rea. a ruling,eIder in this church, out long
.en,rated from us, has from my first com
INC to Las Vegas been a warm lrienu OF
orr work. and this mission. Not this build
inc exclusively, out the whole work mas
COST him In all very little less than !. 0O0on
He rave $500 outright, and loaned sooo
more. aid the loan was never REPAID. Mr.
a does not EeIueLnDoA AOSD
building cost, but says he THINKS IL Was
NOT less than "a 900, all told. Inc ioti IT.
self, cost $25O. An .u;,os
.nd rings IN the tower OF the Spanish
chnrcn has something of a history. IL may
seem now something Ike an e4travakauS
70 nave INDUCED ia the luxury OF cnurcn-
hall in those DAYS. But l think IL was
trne INSTINCT aud spirit which Gould not De
sarIsf.d until there was one Protestant
hall in Las Vegas, to ring out the story OF
an open Bible. and OF freedom OF con,
science. and of liberty OF worship. All
honor TO thu heroic pioneer who nrst pro-
niaimad th,se principles, in l.. v. aud flung
team ont to the blue heaven 90 the rsvsr,
harati,ns of the swinging bell. l ciimoeo
into this belfry the oJner day to lay my
hand nm its bronze cheek and to strike Zoe
old music of Luther, Calvin and Knox
from les vibrating tongue. mere Is ~
800, Of ] ohm A. Aanln's money haus ~ -
in hat old bail, ana now that KaoW ls
hi.sorv slall ne ver near Its t)nss VIII
out thinking of the prophetic courage
which swung it aluft, and l shall fancy ITS
conscious voice is calling out the mans
which IL strives to m AXE immortal: 'JOHN
AMIN" JOHN AMIN" $40. JOHN
ANNiNW .,.+ ;ts
s,innino lepent: .Kev. J. A. Amin, Las
Vapss. N NJ, CT. Chick, Browne
~ Co.. Grenada, Colo" IL had o
tourney of over 300 miles over.
lana to- reach its destination. It's cost
was 500. When the cnurca moved across
tha risar TO oar present location, the bell
was brought to this building aud nung ~
the tower: but this shivering frame couio
not stand tae iarrisg OF its sturdy Tones
and IL was carried oack to IT'S origlue'
home. Let us ncpe IL may never Dc re-
moved but swing long TO "rrocialm LIZ '.
erty," to hail the Twentistn Censuiy y
the name of enlightened rellRion anu
universal education, and, throughout al
its momentous, hasten ng years, 20
"Rlng out the darkness OF the lano,
ring ia the Christ that is y be-"
lam plaa the old bell Is still in the tower
wuerss it first pealed out the gospsi OF .n !,
Reformation and said, 'sLet there be lient.'
Iarjt 90 on To do it's destin d work on tne
brow Of wonder hill, its first home. nal
lowed with the prayers and tears ana tons
~ hio, who. in the love OF God, wrCugn'
there for ali humanity. Were there wiz
us to-day some prophet gifted 70 ore "nI
dreams aud to see visions, ne misn. 'Yno
onwarda little aud see in the dreatsr Ass
Vegas. this historic church now Decoms
the center of a prosperous, modern cly
d;str;ct and catch the music OF the olo
hell still swung aloft 10 its beitry anu
nsaiiug out the Evangel to a new age ano
linking the past 60 the future wl.n l.s ,eaI n
ths way which the Lord thy God hath zoe
thee.r h.r ~ tbs
church 10 Mr.. Annin's days NV re" IN
With US, we still have one keepsake nu =
heirloom, which we hold above price: ~
tbis uuipit Biole, whose history ! did nc
Enow Til now. "rhe Bile on your puipl
ssno douht II Is the same,) writes Mr.. Aa'
Mir. III Sot from New York. 1t was givei
to the church, !. O., to Mrs Amin ana ny
self. for the church, by q gooa l aae :,
r. me- bsfore that ibis Book had beei
hrouebt from the church's old home, ant
am glad to discover that ths very volum'
49, arnt mint Rihla from