Brookings weekly register. (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1898-1903, 1900-07-26
The Corner Stone of the New Pres.
byterian Church will be Laid
Wednesday, August lst,
1900.
CHURCH HISTORY.
A Few Facts in Connection with the Organiza-
ton and Development Of the Presby-
terian Society in the City Of
Brookings.


terian church is progressing rapidly
and next week Wednesday, Aug. lst,
has been set aside for the laying Of
the corner stone. A program Of exer-
cises has been prepared which will
occupy the space Of one hour and will
take place at 2 o'clock on the after
noon of that day. The program has
been arranged as follows:
PROGRAM.
Anthem. Lift Up Your Heads,".
.............. Presbyterian Choir
Invocation. ..... Rev. A. S. Mason
Address. ............ DR.. A. M. Work
Address. ...... Mayor G.. A. Mathews
Address. :. I. President John w. Heston
Placing articles in the corner stone.
Singing -. Doxology. All Joining
Address ....... Prof. Jas. III. Shepard
Address. .....,. Rev. J. A. McAlmon
Anthem. "Joyous Praise .....
................ Presbyterian Choir
Benediction ....... Rev. A. j. Finch
In view Of the approaching cere-
monies IN connection with the laying
of the corner stone Of he new Presby-
terian church building, the REGISTER
has taken the opportunity afforded to
compile a brief history Of this organ
izatlon to be published with the pro-
gram, and, together, laid within its
sacred precincts, there to rest until
this substantial and handsome edifice
has crumbled into dust and future
generations shall raze these walls for
the foundation of another temple Of
worship to the living God.
CHURCH HISTORY.
The First Presbyterian church Of
Brookings was organized January Is,
1882, in Olds and Fishback's hall.
This hall, at the time, was located on
the second floor of the building now
occupied by @. G. Barr with his res
taurant, on Main street. Rev. r. B..
Farrar, of Volga, acted as organizer
under the direction Of the Presbytery
Of Southern (now centraD Dakota.
The petitioners were s. M. CASTOR,
Mrs. S. M. CASTOR, Horace Fishback,
Mrs. Cornelia Fishback, Miss Leona
Van Dusen, Charles Gagel, Mrs. En-
cline Gagel, Mrs. Edith Hcpp, Mrs.
Mary E. Harte, Robert Mcbride, III.
B. CASTOR, VIM. Mcknight and Mrs.
VIM. Mcknight.
OF the thirteen persons signing the
petition for organization only five per-
fected their membership. These five
original members were Mrs. Mary e.
Harte, Mrs. Edith Hopp, Robert Nc
Bride, Charles Gagel and Mrs. EN-
cline Gagel. This leaves Mrs. Mary
e. Harte the only original member
and organizer at present living in or
about Brookings.
The first communion service was
held in the M. Z. church Feb. 5, 1882,
and was conducted by Rev. r. B. Far
rar and Rev. G.. B. Pomeroy. The
society was incorporated August rs,
1882 The first church elders were
elected, ordained and installed Decem-
Der IL, 1882, at a meeting held in the
Baptist church. Only two of the
elders elected were installed: d. j.
Darrow and John p. jenkins. The
third, S. NJ. CASTOR, had not perfected
his church membership and conse-
quently was not ordained and In
stalled.
The first trustees Of the church
were Robert Mcbride, John Sloan,
Andrew b. Allison and j. T. Tidball,
who were elected at the same meet
ing Dec. IL, 1882. At this meeting
] there was also chosen a building CON-