Kansas City daily journal., 1897-02-08
ONE SCORE AND TEN.
Thirtieth Anniversary of the Found
ing of Liberty Street Methodist
Church Celebrated Yesterday.

Snurch CeleDraIeu IcsteFuhss
Thirty years ago yesterday Liberty Street
Methodist church was organized and began
its work of spreading the Gospel in the
West bottoms down under the bluff. AT
that time the bottoms was sparsely settled.
the people had little money, the annoy
ances and hatreds of the war were still felt,
and there was a very gloomy outlook for
the small band of church workers.
Yesterday, IN the little, weather-beaten
frame church at the southeast corner of
Liberty and Joy streets the congregation
met, and during the afternoon told and re-
told the early experiences the discourage
ments and trials of the days when the
church was founded.
Time has wrought many changes. both
in the surroundings and in the congregd,
ton. The little band OF strUgglers who
held aloft the banner of the church grew
into powerful and influential church,
which is now fast dwindling away. The
bottoms, then but a dismal waste, has
been transformed from 4 swamp to one OF
the busiest portions of the city; the land
that was once considered almost worthless
now has an enormous value; the homes
that Were erected by the industrious ano
thrifty people have been one by one de-
serted, torn down, and given way. to the
houses, depots and storage houses. 1t is
but a question of a few years until, from
the Kaw river back to the bluff, there will
be nc residence. church or school.
1t was these feelings and this knowledge
that made the gathering of yesterday the
=.
members and first workers Were present.
some of the ministers who in the years of
long ago had labored at that point We're
there, the pioneer minister of the Methodist
church in Kansas City and the first preSid
ing elder of the Kansas City district Were
at the meeting. 1t was a sort of reunion,
and all of the troubles and triumphS of the
thirty years were gone over. AT the con-
clusion the congregation sang hymn ex-
hope of the future and their confding
trust in the power that has given direc-
ton to the church work.
The frame structure that has done service
for three decades is one of the most simple
style. 1t was cheaply constructed and has
been repaired a number of times to keep it
in order. The smoke from the packing
houses and engines that are constantly
passing have oft begrimed the exterior, but
oil lamps that lighted the house for years
blackened the walls. but they have been
frightened by paint and paper. The build
ing has been out Of plumb for years, and
leans to the east several inches. It has
been strengthened by stout cross iron
rods from the walls SO that it is now safe.
The members of the first congregation
have gone to other portions of the city,
have died or gone to. other homes. until
ship stood us the last guard, Mrs. seiss and
worshipers at the church, and nave been
influential in its support.
was the first presiding elder in this district,
and at one time pastor of the church, was
of Methodism in the state. Later the pas
tor, Rev. 3. P. White, read a short sketch
of the church, giving the names of the
pastors.
Rev. ]. P. Dew who served the church
as pastor for seven years, spoke. as did
also Rev. Griffis, its first pastor, Rev. ].
Wesley Johnson and others. Their talks
included much of the history of the denom-
ination in the city. tracing its progress
from its inception up to the present, with
its nine churches and seven missions. with
over 1000 members. The following hymn,
written by Rev. DR.. Hagerty, was sung:
With gratitude we meet to-day,
And raise to God our sweetest song,
For countless blessings on the way,
While thirty years have sped along.
Within these walls o God of love,
Thy word has been our guiding star,
1t taught the child to look above,
AS thirty years have sped afar.
The Gospel here has been proclaimed,
The hungry fed with living bread.
The sinner here has been redeemed.
For thirty years our children led.
We stand. and in the future look,
And loud proclaim our growing love
For God. His Gospel, and His Book,
For countless thirty years above.