Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1899-08-10
CONTINUED from First Page.)

AOuoO3 OuC ny CAAo CAuc Vic uISG
school house had been built. Will
Gilbert had the contract for putting
up. this building, and when it was
finished he proudly called it ''the
finest building in town. Into this
school house the Methodist congrega-
ton came, and here they wors6ipped
till the Methodist church was built.
Perhaps it will be interesting to
some to learn the subsequent history
of these different buildings in which
divine services were at first held
Judge Nelson's Office, after being
moved about several times, finally
became a part of the building which
is owned by Mr.. Barnes and which is
located just south of taxidermist
Browns place of business. The old
court house is at present used as a
lookup, while the old school house is
now used as church by the Swedish
Lutherans.
It was in the spring Of. '82 that the
Methodists of Warren decided to
build house of worship. Through
the unceasing efforts of Bros. Camp
bell, Mentzer, Gilbert, and others
subscription Of 81, 700 was raised and
in the fall of '82 the structure was
begun. 1893 1t was not finished, how
ever, till the fall of '83. Great was
the rejoicing of the members and
friends of the church when the build
ing was finally ready for dedication.
It was Nov. 25th, 1883, when the
dedication took place. Presiding
Elder Geo. R. Hair was present and
preached in the afternoon. Rev.
Frank Doran preached the dedicatory
sermon in the evening, taking for his
subject the life and character of
Stephen. :, The services were COM
plete success and within 20 minutes
the church debt was entirely liquid
ated, excepting the $500 that was
owing the Church Extension Society.
The putting up of so large church
at that early date was not accom-
plished without a great deal of heroic
struggle and self sacrifice on the
part of those who had the interest
of Methodism at heart Great credit
is due to the building committee,
Bros. Mentzer, Gilbert, and Snyder,
and to the pastor, Bro. Campbell,
for the successful accomplishment of
that work. But to name simply
these would be to do injustice to 9TH
ers, for there were many in those
early times who labored hard for the
success of Methodism in Warren :;
noble men and women who mingled
their prayers and their tears together
as they toiled on amid difficulties
that would have appalled, men and
women less stout of heart.
After the building had once been
completed, little was done toward i'm
provement till the fall of '97, when
the church was moved from the block
just south of the school house to it's
present location. The cost of the
new location together with that of
moving the church and putting it in
its present condition was about
81, 10000. It should be said to the
credit of the original building COM
mittee that they did their best to
have the church built where it now
stands, but could not do so as the
man who then owned the lots would
not sell them for that purpose.
The church, as it stands to-day, is
one of the incest in this part of the
state and much credit is due to the
people of Warren for the liberal Civ
ing which has made such a church
possibility. The people have re-
sponded nobly to every call for help
they have been liberal almost to
fault. Nor can we forget the debt of
gratitude which we owe to the War
rem Fire Department for saving the
church from destruction by fire on
the 9th of March, '98. But for their
timely and heroic efforts the church
would, within a few minutes, have
been totally destroyed.
This sketch Of the history of the
church will not be complete Without
something being said about the pas
tors that have served the church dur
ing the past twenty years. First
came Rev. Sam'l Kerfoot, who was a
noble man OF God. He was followed
by Rev. c. B. Brecount in the spring
OF 80. Brother Brecount only sup
piled the place occasionally, driving
over from Fisher and Mallory as Of
ten as he could. He did good work,
however, and all the people learned
to love him. Brother Brecount is at
present serving as Conference evan
gelist. After Rev Mr.. Brecount, Rev.
A. E. Flint filled the pulpit off and on
for two years. When Bro. Flint came
from Prescott, Wis, to Warren, he
was what the Methodists call a *sback-
slider, but on April II, 1880, he was
reclaimed while attending Metho-
dist class meeting and soon after be-
gan to preach occasionally for the
society here. Bro. Flint went to Den
yer, Colorado, in $50 and died there
OF pneumonia in january, '8S. Rev.
A. Campbell came to Warren from ILL
nois; bought a farm and dealt some
what in stock, but preached also for
the Methodist. society from 1882 to
1884. Brother and sister Campbell
did a, great deal for the church in
Warren. Tt WAS LARGELY dne to thoir