The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1900-03-09

tuS ISSuII PIOVSO W udVS OSSu d SUCCESS
and left memorial for all time to come.
for which you good people of Walhalla
should forever remember and honor him,
and sometime in the near future, before
he is forgotten, erect a marble monu-
ment over the grave, with suitable in
scnptions to commemorate his name,
and thereby showing your love and
renovation for great and good mar, ,as
he was most assuredly one Of Gods
character after His own image.
In 1875 the Rev. Father crossed the
boundary line from Emerson to Pembina
and introduced himself to Mrs. c. and
myself. and as was the custom in those
hospitable lays, was we'll received and
asked to remain as long as he was oper-
ating in this section. And SO, ever after,
he was our welcome guest. After look
ing over the grounds few days he con-
suited with us as to the prospects of
opening Presbyterian society in Penn
bina. and was given all the encourage
ment needed for the undertaking. He
encountered many difficulties from per-
sons of other denominations. Still he
persevered and in 1878 secured the erec-
ton of the present comfortable church
building. April, 1881, a Presbyterian
congregation was organized with thirteen
members. Then the Rev. R. T. Cres-
we'll was sent as the pastor and began
his labors May 30th and was installed
November 9th by tue Revs. ]. H. Brown
and ]. P. Schell of the Presbytery of Red
River.
From 1881 to 1883 seventy members
were enrolled and ten Presbyterian con-
gregations organized by the pastors in
the surrounding country. November IA
1882, by authority of the Synod of Min
nesota, Mr.. Creswell organized the Pres
bytery of Pembina in December, 1883.
Mr.. Creswell resigne on call to labor
at Duluth and vicinity in Minnesota. In
1884 the Rev. T. u. Cathcart and in 1885
the Rev. Baskerville filled the place for
"a few months. Rev. Cnas. Mclean
supplied from 1887 to 1890. Rev. D. G.
Mckay from 1890 to 1892. Rev. Robt,
Johnston from 1892 who was called to
Gilby where he now holds forth to
prosperous congregation. Since then
the church has not been regularly sup
piled. but last summer was moved from
the old stand to the corner lot on Sec
ond and Stutsman streets, beautiful
location for it, and is supplied by the
popular Rev. Mr.. Hall of Neche; two
sermons every Sunday and large Sun
day school for the little ones, and has
every prospect for staying qualities for
the future. In the helping of Father
Scott, he said he wanted lot for the
church and one for the manse, all of
which we freely promised and decided to
the trustees the lot on the corner of
Third and Rolette streets for the church
and one in the same block for the manse,
which was not used by the church and
remained idle and in 1881 or 1882 there
being boom on lots and city property
the church building being still in debt,
the trustees concluded that now was the
time to sell the lot and wipe out the in
debtedness of the building. Corner lots
then were worth 81, 600 and others ac-
cording to location, from 500 to 800.
They sold the lot for 500 and paid all
liabilities of the church. Winnipeg and
Emerson and other Manitoba cities had
a boom on that finally struck Pembina,
and lots went up sky h. gh and all owners
of town property thought that they we're
millionaires and that they would be for
ever, but alas the crash came, as we
might have known it would, and down
came our bread, butter side down, and
all that was LETT to us was taxes to be
paid on our estimated value. However
another boom of the same description
came and the same folly was repeated,
but few of us sold on part payment and
took mortgages for the balance. The
mortgages failed to be redeemed and the
lots went back to owners. The
money received was put to good use for
the lots again began drain on us in the
old way of taxes.
Father Scott left us during the boom
and sought pastures new in Manitoba for
his better usefulness in Gods work.
forgot to mention that he was scientist
of botany and was constant worker iii
our forests and valleys and with Charles |
Nelson, son of our popular collector of
customs, hunted the land and woods
over for new varieties of flowers and
discovered several new species. Char
ley was student under him. but
he, died young and very
unexpected. Had he lived to ripe and
mature age he would have left memory
behind him as learned and useful
worker in solving many of the mysterys
of nature. While he has gone to his
last home and rests in peace, his parents