Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1899-08-04

The next year the church received the
gift Of q Sunday school library from the
Congregational Sunday School and Pub
fishing society of Boston.
Under the date OF Sept. IL, 1862 this
entry is found: "Mrs. Mary Moon died
this day at her residence in Cresco; be
ing the first member of this church that
has died since it's organization in 1856
"a period of IS years.
In 1871. the pastor and delegate were
called to attend council held at Burr
Oak, Winnesheik county, for the pur.
pose of ordaining Brother @. A. Mar.
shall of this church to the work of the
gospel ministry.
In the same year Father Windsor re.
signed his position as pastor on account
of advancing age. The church accept
ed his resignation and he laid down his
work
"His book is completed
And closed like the day;
And the hand that has written it
Lays it away"
The church may now be considered
firmly established as it enters upon a
period of quiet growth and development,
and we will not follow its history in de.
tail, but note here and there an item of
interest.
In 1881 the quarter centennial of the
church was observed by public exercis
es appropriate to so important an event
The church was decorated with flowers
and the choir furnished fine music
Rev. A. S. Mo 'ounell, the pastor, gave
an excellent address commemorative of
the event, and read letter from Father
Windsor to the church, containing rem.
iniscences of his work in this field, and
expressing great sorrow that on account
of his infirmities he could not accept the
invitation which he received to be pres
ent on this most interesting occasion.
In 1892 at the suggestion of Rev.
James Oakley, who was pastor at the
time, a parsonage was built under the
supervision of L. I. Woodcock at cost
of about $500. Five hundred dollars
of this amount was loan from the
Church Building society. This debt was
assumed by the Ladies' Aid society and
paid off in less than half the time al
lowed.
Besides the Ladies' Aid society which
for about % years has been an effective
auxiliary in all the undertakings of the
church, other societies have been formed
from time to time.
awe LIZ Ao2b, q ~ L ~. VI LIZ w db VI
ganized by Rev. Q. A. Towle, of Cedar
Rapids. Much has been done by this
organization to promote deeper spirit
ual life among the young people.
Since 1894, the Woman's Missionary
Society, pledged to assist both home and
foreign missions, has labored to carry
out the precepts of the golden rule, by
helping others even as we have been
helped.
The Choral workers. is juvenile band.
organized in 1896. Their work is for the
children of heather lands and is auxil-
larry to w. B. NJ. 1.
Among other items we notice that
in orr present membership, the name
which has been longest on the roll is that
of DIR. j. j. Clemmer, who joined IN
1860. In 1868 he accepted the position
of Trustee which position he has held
continuously to this date.
Mrs. Adeline Church is next in order,
having become member in 1868.
This church has had eight pastors du
ring the forty three years of its existance.
The longest passionate is that of Alex.
S. Mcconnell, whose labors for fourteen
years and eight months are affctlonately
and gratefully remembered by most of
the community.