The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-01-02
ILLINOIS CHURCHES.
State superintendent Letter.
MT. PULASKI.


commenced for funds with which to sup
port the monthly services. 1t is hoped
that with the beginning of the New
Year this old parish, once so active, will
again become self supporting. Later
advices reach me stating that Rev.
Frances E. Cheney has accepted the
call to this parish, and will at orce enter
upon her work. This will be good news
to the many friends of this old parish.
WHITEHEATH.
l visited this point November 25, 26.
A union thanksgiving service was held
in the Universalist church. The pastor
and members of the United Brethren
church assisted in the services.
sANGAMoN.
Sangamon was visited, November 9th.
A series of meetings was commenced
here on November 18th. and they were
continued until Sunday, December 9th,
Rev. j. f. Carney and Rev. Miss Cheney
assisting. The church was strength
ened by the services and besides addition
to its membership the determination to
have church home was intensified, and
building committee selected.
MEMORIAL AT LEROY.
On the 10Th l exchanged With the
LeRoy pastor, in order to meet the wish
of my old parishioners that | should
conduct the memorial exercises for Rev.
q. A. Garst, who held his first pastorate
at this place. The services we're held in
the opera house. The Odd-Fellows
lodge attended in BODY, and many of
Bro Garst's old friends assembled with
the society to show their respect for his
memory. His father, two brothers. two
sisters and other relatives were present.
This parish has always held the work
done for them by Bro. Garst in high es-
TEEN. A generous sum has been for
warded to California, to assist in marking
his grave with an appropriate monu-
ment.
AGAIN AT SANGAMON.
Returning on Monday to assist in the
Sangamon meetings on Tuesday, Dec. l,
Ashley was reached, late in the evening,
after long days travel. The next morn.
ing | visited several families and ar
ranged to hold services with them later.
The same afternoon l met the mission
Circle at Mt. Vernon. | have visited
this point twice before, and the result
has been the organization mentioned
above. The Circle holds weekly meet
ings at private houses for devotional
purposes. Sermons or papers are read
and topics of religious nature dig
cussed. This is doubtless the nucleus
of church society.
lNA-A NEW TOWN.
Ina is new town on the G. M. g. P,
Railroad. 1t is about nine miles south
OF Mount Vernon, and will, believe,
make part of the circuit which we
hope to organize in this neighborhood.
| am met here by DR.. James M. Hamil-
ton. who entertains me most Hospitality.
BY his efforts arrangements have been
made for the use of church about one
mile from the village and services an.
nounced for two evenings. Our church
is almost unknown here. Good congre-
cations attended. with evident interest
and the desire was freely expressed for
more services.
CARBONDALE
Saturday, Dec. 4, the scene shifts to
Carbondale. where series of meetings
to last until Dec. ID had been advertised,
On my arrival, found Rev. @. A. Rice
already on the ground, accompanied by
her friend, Miss Della Rogers. These
ladies had secured the use of an empty
store room. This, tie best place availa-
BILE. was not very inviting; then the in
formation which we had received that
there were many interested in our
church could not be verified, and in ad.
dition the prejudice against our church
and its teachings. or perhaps against
what some thought its teachings would
be, was not small. On Sunday morning
our services opened with about forty
present, and during the week from thirty
to seventy we're present at the various
meetings. Literature was distributed,
and considerable inquiry concerning our
church was developed. The meetings
were in many ways profitable. A church
could doubtless be established here. but
it will take time and hard work to make
it self supporting.
We are greatly aided here by the gen
erous assistance of DIR. John OHara.
Efforts will be made to establish regu-
lar services in the near future. | am
glad to note that Rev. Miss Rice was able
to assist is the preaching. She occupied
the spulpit on Friday and took full
charge of the services on Sunday, De-
cember ID. | having been summoned to
Clinton to conduct funeral. She also
kindly filled my appointment at Walton
vile on December II and ID.
must not omit one incident of my
visit to Carbondale. On Friday, | was
driven to the pleasant home of Bro. G.
d. Hall, near Carterville. AS his good
wife welcomed me to her home she said:
This is something / had never expected